Today, we laid to rest our son Cristian. I do not write this so much for public consumption, I write this story because I choose to celebrate our son’s brief but most impactful life and it is important for our living son to someday understand the special circumstance for which he came into this world.
Inside the womb, the two were as distinct as can be – every ultrasound prove to be so. While Mateo both inside and out of mom’s belly was the active little character we’ve come to know him over the past week, Cristian was the quiet, reserved and strong willed one of the two. Â While Mateo was doing backflips in the womb, Cristian – even with such a minimal portion of mom’s placenta – still hung in there and thrived for so long.
If the unfortunate circumstance of his passing took place any earlier, we may have lost both of them, but Cristian’s strength enabled his older brother to flourish and stay in as long as possible which has been evident in his positive growth in the NICU.
We were always aware that they were identical twins due to the shared placenta and membrane between their amniotic fluids, so we feel profoundly fortunate to be able to see Cristian’s likeness in his brother as he grows up. Â As parents, we can think of no better gift for the blessing of his very short life.