Twin seen holding sister’s hand in sonogram not expected to survive birth

Shortly after finding out that doctors detected not one, but two heartbeats at their six-week sonogram, Ian and Brittani McIntire received devastating news. 

The sonogram appeared to show the twins holding hands, but the couple were told one was not expected to survive birth.

A boy who would be named Mason, has a hole in his heart and an abnormal brain, according to the McIntires, which is not allowing him to grow like he should. 

"He's only weighing nine ounces and his sister is over two pounds. His only chance of survival would be heart surgery but they wouldn't do heart surgery because of his brain," Brittani said. 

When the couple went for another checkup on Tuesday, the sonogram showed baby Mason's hand wrapped around the finger of his growing twin sister Madilyn.

According to KTLA, with Mason not expected to survive, the special moment captured in the sonogram image of the twins bonding before birth is "something these parents say is no coincidence."

"We know we have a piece of them together that will last forever... and it's special to have," Ian said.

"It's just nice with everything going on... I know I'm holding him, I'm carrying him but I just want to be there for him. She's the only one who can actually be there and is holding onto him... so it's comforting to know that if he does pass, he won't be alone, " Brittani told KTLA. 

Contact Caitlin Lilly at clilly@reviewjournal.com. Find her on Twitter: @caitielilly_