They survived a risky birth, but the conjoined Hamby twins’ heart was simply not strong enough. Asa and Eli died Friday afternoon, one day after their birth, according to their parents.
In a video posted late Friday on Facebook, Michael and Robin Hamby said their sons fought hard before they were taken off ventilators at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston. The twins died around 5 p.m., Michael Hamby said.
“Robin got over there and we got to hold them, love on them and sing to them,” Michael said. “I miss them, even though I have only got to be with them 24 hours. Feels like a lifetime. I don’t wish this hurt on anybody.”
At 7:32 a.m. Thursday, Robin Hamby delivered the twins at Northside Hospital by C-section. Asa and Eli arrived breathing on their own and crying, their parents said. But the boys' health deteriorated Friday, and Robin was taken by ambulance from Northside to Egleston to be with the twins.
The Hambys, of Ladonia, Ala., have said they relied on their faith throughout the pregnancy, and remained hopeful the boys could beat the odds. Born at 37 weeks, Asa and Eli shared a torso, arms and legs.
Conjoined twins occur once every 200,000 live births, but between 40 and 60 percent arrive stillborn, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Being joined side-by-side made the Hamby twins even rarer, a condition known as dicephalic parapagus.
The Hamby’s chronicled the pregnancy and the boys’ birth on Facebook, posting frequent video updates. Within hours of their births, the twins made national headlines, along with photo from the delivery room showing Robin smiling at the boys’ tiny faces.
Later Thursday, Asa and Eli were transported to Egleston for further evaluation, their parents said. The boys were holding their own until they began experiencing heart problems Friday, Michael Hamby said.
“The doctors and the nurses at Egleston were awesome,” Robin Hamby said. “They explained everything they did. They did everything they could possibly do for them.”
Though their lives were short, Asa and Eli touched many lives and won’t be forgotten, their parents said.
“They looked so much like Michael,” Robin said. “They were just the cutest little things. So, so sweet.”
In addition to their parents, Asa and Eli are survived by their 22-month-old sister, Selah, and numerous other relatives. Funeral arrangements have not been made.
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