Grace, Stella, and Emily Fradel are natural identical triplets, which is quite uncommon. They were born a little over a month ago. Each girl’s toenails are painted a distinct color so that their family can distinguish them from one another. The same birthmark is present on all three, however it is located differently on each person. The parents, Gavin and Kimberly Fradel, claimed to have been completely stunned upon learning the news. Gavin Jr., the 2-year-old son of the Fradels, has Down syndrome. When they learned of the news, they were planning to have a second child. Kimberly’s husband brought their son to a doctor’s appointment while she went in for her eight-week scan.
Kimberly said: “I almost fell off the table. The doctor had a look on her face and I said ‘well, what’s wrong?’ I could tell something was wrong, and she said ‘I think you’re having multiples. I think you’re having triplets,’ and my first response was ‘Oh God no, please God no,’ and then she said ‘and I think they’re identical.’ And for her it was really great to see and exciting. For me, the excitement came, but my first feeling was sheer panic.”
Having multiples is considered a high-risk pregnancy, and while the idea of managing so many children induced anxiety at first, the Fradels said their family, friends, and neighbors really stepped up to help. They said they feel truly blessed to have such a supportive community rallying around them. Kimberly said: “I think we adjusted, because you do. We knew in our hearts that there was a plan for us and we’ve learned several times in our marriage that sometimes the plan that you have isn’t the plan that God has, and sometimes, always, his plan is a lot better.”
And once we got over the initial shock and we received so much love from people, and I had a very supportive employer who, we both have had very encouraging employment situations, that we just felt like, ‘ok we can do this. ‘We’re not doing it by ourselves. We’re doing it with the community, and a community of people who love us, love our children, and the support has just made it ok.”
Kimberly also credited her husband’s role. She said: “I also had a really supportive husband and I think probably for six or seven months that I was pregnant, which is pretty much the whole pregnancy, he was mom and dad, and cook, and student, and so he pretty much did everything because I could do very little.”
Although the triplets keep them busy around the clock, they feel overjoyed at their arrival because of the sibling bonds they can already see forming amongst the girls, but also with their son.
Gavin Sr. said: “Life with triplets? They keep you busy. It’s an assembly line as far as diaper changes and feedings go. The only thing I wish I could do more of, and I’m sure my wife could agree is, be able just to hold them. Like with our son we were able to hold him because he was the only child, holding him a lot. You need to share the amount of time that you can hold each girl. But it’s funny because they seem to not mind because there’s three of them and they sort of, they hang out together. They’re each other’s friend already. This early we can tell that they’re going to have each other throughout this life which is really good. And they’ll be with our son when we’re no longer here anymore. They’ll take care of each other, which is a blessing, and we’re always wanted to have another child to be with our son as they both get older.
Gavin Jr. wasn’t so enthusiastic at first, though. When we got home from the hospital…as soon as he saw them he said: “ Daddy, take them back,” and he said it twice. I have no idea where he even got those words from or where he started saying that, but that was his first reaction, and it was hilarious. It was funny.”
Kimberly added: “He always kisses his sisters, he helps with bottles, he’s very patient, he’s just a really good, protective big brother and I believe all four of them are going to have unique gifts and love for each other that will take care for each other for the rest of their lives.”
