In 2014, Michelle Brantley and Bryan Mirabal got devastating news. They found out their twin boys were conjoined at the sternum and that they would have to defy the odds if they were going to survive long enough to even be born.

While the couple was presented with the choice to terminate the pregnancy, they decided against it.

But defy the odds they did – and Carter and Conner Mirabal were born on Dec. 12, 2014.

Separating the twins

The twins still faced dangerous and costly surgery since they shared a liver, intestinal tract, and abdominal wall.

Once they survived their initial organ repair surgery, they remained in the NICU for another 5 months so they could have separation surgery.

And when it came time to operate, the resources they required were enormous. In May 2015, a team of 17 surgeons and staff scrubbed in for the long surgery.

It wasn’t until a year later, on Friday, May 6, 2016, that Carter went home to join Conner and his parents.

Even that wasn’t the last of their expensive and laborious recovery. They’ve had to have intensive therapies and surgeries since then.

A reason to celebrate

The only surviving conjoined twins from Jacksonville, Carter and Conner have been in the news for years. But no occasion (aside from their trip home from the hospital) gained as much attention as their pre-kindergarten graduation in May of 2020.

The family celebrated with a Facebook post:

“I mean, come on – these two have accomplished and been through SO much in their short lives. Between being born conjoined, having a 15-hour separation surgery. Poked, prodded, no peace, living in the hospital til they were over a year old. Therapies, doctors, more surgeries. G-tubes, feeds, learning to eat and walk and talk, and now here they are!! Graduating pre-k, something doctors didn’t know if they were gonna be able to do! Conner and Carter we couldn’t be more proud!”

It was an especially big accomplishment because earlier this year, the boys also had back surgery!

It’s pretty incredible to think about how far Carter and Conner have come!

But there have been very tough moments as well.

In an update from January, their parents posted a call for prayers:

“Today has been a hard day for our family, but especially for our boys.

The boys are having a pretty rough time.

They’re so confused and don’t understand.

Conner just keeps waking up crying, telling us his back hurts.

And Carter wants to rip everything off himself. He has been a little bit more irritable.

They both just keeping saying they want to “Get out.” Conner cried every time someone left. It just breaks our hearts. Not being able be take their pain away or even really comfortable them is so Incredibly hard.”

Kindergarteners

Since their pre-K graduation was in May, that means the boys started kindergarten this fall.

They also have an older brother, Gage, who is in 1st grade.

Over 34,000 people follow the boys and their family on Facebook, so lots of kudos poured in from around the world.

More big steps

Up until recently, the boys still had gastrointestinal tubes in their little bodies. But doctors experimented with removing them in October – and the boys did great!

If they don’t lose weight, they may be able to go without them for the foreseeable future.

There will always be ups and downs, but we hope the family’s Christmas is a happy one!

Be sure to scroll down for a local news story on the sweet twin boys.

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Source: Faithpot, 12 News Now, Facebook – Prayers for Carter and Conner