Dreams Coming True
He looked with deep concern at the images before his eyes. He turned and ran to the charts to double-check the results. That couldn’t be right, could it?
The Salyer Twins could only watch as the doctor sped around the room checking all of the results, he finally turned to look at them in disbelief.
Close Bond
Credits
Briana Deane shared a very close bond with her twin sister, Brittany. As far as they could tell, they were the closest twins they’d ever seen. But when it came to dating the two preferred that to stay private until they knew things were serious.
This was working well for the longest time. But for the first time, Briana should have said something.
Same On The Outside, Different On The Inside
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Even though the twins looked very similar, they were their own people. They had their own personalities, interests, and dislikes.
An example that sets the twins apart is that Brittany loves flying while Briana hates it. This made vacationing hard at times. But their different personalities wouldn’t stop them both from suffering some things together.
Tough Upbringing
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Brittney still recollects a scary visit to the hospital when they were still young children.
She can only remember that they were both in a lot of pain and had difficulty breathing. She remembers her parents scolding the doctors and after that experience neither of them liked doctors. This distrust would test the two when they least expected it.
Keeping Secrets
InsideEdition
In Ohio, there was a twins festival that Briana decided to attend. She bumped into a man named Josh Salyers who also had a twin. Little did Briana know that he would be her future husband. Josh’s twin, Jeremy, chatted to Brittany and it seemed like fate.
Briana had finally found the one and she couldn’t wait to tell Britanny, but she had her own secret that she hadn’t told her twin sister.
Fate
InsideEdition
Briana finally told her sister and to her joy, she saw Brittany’s face light up at the mention of Josh Salyers.
Once Briana had finished Britanny couldn’t wait to tell her sister who she was seeing. Josh’s twin brother – Jeremy. Both couples were getting serious and things couldn’t be better.
One House
Instagram/Salyers Twins
The twins were so happy. They daydreamed of a beautiful wedding and living under one roof. The twins wanted to stay in each other’s lives and now it was perfect.
Briana told reporters in an interview, “We totally know we are eccentric, socially eccentric.” But there was one final thing they hoped to clear up. But little did they know, things wouldn’t turn out exactly how they were hoping.
Visit To The Doctor
Instagram/Salyers Twins
They hated hospitals, they just wanted to find a midwife that they could chat with. But their conversation would lead to them going to a doctor’s office, the smell of disinfectant heavy in the air.
They knew how many sad stories and bad endings came from this place. So when the doctor finally stepped in, his eyes on the floor, they knew something was wrong.
Warning Signs
Youtube / Inside Edition
The reason why the sisters went to the doctor was to check their fertility. They were verging on 40 and wanted to make sure there wouldn’t be any complications. But when the doctor heard that they were also dating twins, he had news that would shake their world.
The good news was that they were fertile, but the doctor advised them against starting a new family with their twin partners. Brittany and Briana didn’t trust his word and ignored his advice.
Two Proposals
Youtube / Inside Edition
In secret, the Salyer twins decided that they would propose simultaneously to their partners. This was to show how close they would stay after their marriage. It was true, they did everything together.
The four bought a house after getting married and they all lived together in happiness. But unbeknownst to anyone else, Briana couldn’t stop thinking about what the doctor said.
Special Wedding
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Brittney and her sister Briana had made headlines when they got engaged to another pair of identical twins.
The story went viral and TLC offered to pay for the entire wedding if they could film and air the event. It was a magical experience that was so different compared to the years leading up to this special day.
Whirlwind
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Briana felt jitters and tears as she walked down the aisle and got married, with her best friend and twin sister right beside her. And the wonderful euphoria lasted all the way through the honeymoon.
Of course, it wasn’t long until they were both pregnant. The amazing news, however, was quickly countered with an unpleasant reality.
Something’s Wrong
Instagram / Saylertwins
Briana tried to ignore the feeling that something wasn’t quite right about all this. Perhaps the ideas about how they wanted to live their life were wrong.
She held her swollen tummy in her hands as she wished she stayed to listen to what the doctor had to say. What was so important that he’d discourage them from starting a family? Disaster was just around the corner.
Not Giving Up
InsideEdition
Brittany was three months pregnant when she suffered a miscarriage. With Briana four weeks behind her, she feared that this same thing would happen to her. They had the same body after all.
After an anxious wait, it was as predicted. Briana followed in her sister’s footsteps and had a miscarriage at exactly the same timeframe. It was a devastating loss but it didn’t discourage them.
After an anxious wait, it was as predicted. Briana followed in her sister’s footsteps and had a miscarriage at exactly the same timeframe. It was a devastating loss but it didn’t discourage them.
More Warnings
Youtube / Inside Edition
It was less than half a year by the time Briana and Brittany found themselves pregnant again. This time the pregnancies were smooth and their checkups with their doctor were more frequent.
But once again, they faced another warning. They listened as the doctor reinstated how rare this situation actually was, and how little they knew about the repercussions involved in such a medical anomaly.
Ignored Advice
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The doctor sat across from their group and sighed. “Ladies, I thought I told you to come and talk to me before you decided to start a family.”
Briana felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up in anger. “No, you told our mother that.” He shook his head and pulled out a folder.
How Dare He
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It was her and Brittany’s medical history. He went on to use words like testing, health, prenatal preparation, and a bunch of other medical jargon.
She tightened the grip on her husband’s hand. Who was he to say they shouldn’t have kids now?! She was about to tell him off, but the next piece of news was heartbreaking.
Passed On Problems
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The doctor went on to explain that because of their past genetic problems and the pending tests on their husbands, there was a chance that both she and her sister’s baby could have the same defective genetic issues passed down to them.
In short, their kids could be as sick as the girls had been when they were babies.
Two Thoughts
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“It’s obviously your body and your choice,” the doctor said, “I just wish you would have come here so we could have prepared better.”
“Now, all we can do is watch closely and be careful.” Briana leaned into her husband and started to cry. Two thoughts crashed and fought around in her head.
New Odds
Parents.com
First, she hated everything to do with hospitals. But second, it was her job to make sure her family would be safe and healthy.
Babies might have been a grab bag of genetic materials, but their paring of identical twins created an entirely different set of odds. Then, the doctor looked at their scans.
Wild Discovery
Youtube / Inside Edition
His eyes popped as he took in the two images he held in his hands. Then, he raced over to their medical charts to find their blood work. It didn’t make sense.
Briana and her sister watched with growing concern as the doctor’s eyes darted across their scans and test documents. What was he seeing?
Revelation
Youtube / Inside Edition
“Is everything okay?” Briana asked as she looked at her sister, who lay on the ultrasound table beside her. Then suddenly, the doctor’s mind stopped racing. His eyes widened in disbelief as he let out a big sigh. His hands fell to his side as he approached the twins.
What was wrong? Was this what he warned them about? But what he was about to say was far beyond anyone’s expectations, including his own.
Not Cousins!
Youtube / Inside Edition
The doctor grabbed a chair and sat next to the twins as he explained what the test results were now beginning to show. It was the unknown that he was most nervous about for them. But now, things were starting to become clear.
Although Briana’s and Brittany’s babies are from two different fathers and two different mothers, they are only respectively cousins. Which means…
Siblings
Instagram/Salyer Twins
Genetically speaking, Briana and Brittany’s children, current or future – as long as they remain with their spouses – will always be full biological siblings to each other… even though they would have different parents.
“For an OB doc, this is like winning the lottery. It’s really that rare!” said their doctor. And for the couples, winning the lottery is exactly what this discovery felt like.
Keeping A Smile
FOX 5 San Diego
Still, at that point, all they could do was go on bedrest together.
They smiled at their growing bellies, giggled at their identical cravings for pickles and Starburst candies, and held each other tight when something felt “wrong.”
It’s Time
Credit
Eight months and two weeks later, Brianna was the first to go into labor.
And, in fine twin fashion, Brittney felt her water break only a few hours later. The worst part, however, was being separated. She gripped her husband’s arm and gave one final push. Cries filled the delivery room.
The Same Pain
Barefoot Blonde
Wave after wave of pain washed over Briana’s body, but all she could do was ride it out.
Somewhere, she knew her sister was in the same agony. They had ignored all the warnings and strong advice. It was their lives and their choice. All they could do was pray for it to end and for them to find out the truth.
Good News
Verywell Family
Despite the high risk, she cried with joy as she learned that both babies were perfectly healthy.
They had won the DNA lottery and wouldn’t have to suffer as they had. However, as they held their tiny infants, they both agreed that they would check with a doctor before having another.
Viral News
Youtube / Inside Edition
Briana and Brittany, as well as their husbands, were thrilled to know that their children were going to be siblings, especially as they’ll be growing up in a house with four parents anyway!
But not everyone was as happy as the twins once they found out about their unique story. Reporters and journalists raced to interview them, which they accepted. But the news spread fast, and so did conflicting opinions.
Unique Situation
InsideEdition
TLC realized what a unique situation the Deane sisters’ wedding was and aired the entire documentary of the twins’ wedding ceremony, titled “Our Twinsane Wedding”. Their wedding’s theme was “Twice Upon a Time,” and the identical twin couples were even married by identical twin ministers.
And, with the recent announcement of the new arrivals in the Salyer family, the quartet has become more famous than ever.
What Are The Odds?
InsideEdition
It doesn’t happen very often that an identical twin would find and marry another identical twin. So it’s no surprise that the story of the Deane sisters and Salyer brothers piqued the interest of many netizens and TV viewers.
Many people were incredibly intrigued by the entire story, and it attracted a lot of attention from the media. While most of the attention was positive, some people had other opinions.
The Good Life
InsideEdition
Some people disagreed with Briana and Brittany’s extremely close married relationship and lifestyle choices. They found it too odd and strange that the grown-up couples lived together, under one roof, and were intent on raising their families together, too.
But to Briana and Brittany, it just made sense… for more reasons than one.
It Works For Them
InsideEdition
Briana and Brittany just happen to work in the same law firm, and Jeremy and Josh also work together. So, it’s easy for them to commute to work together.
Both pairs of twins are inseparable and couldn’t imagine spending time apart from their twins, so it also saved on fuel having to go back and forth from each other’s homes. Admittedly, it’s an extremely unusual set-up, but it seems to work for them.
Always One Question
InsideEdition
For Briana and her sister, as well as their husbands, life couldn’t get much better. Even though there were always haters coming out of the woodwork to express their negative opinions on their lifestyle choices, they didn’t let negative opinions get to them!
Although Briana and Brittany are very open about their choices, one question never fails to arise…
Do They Ever Get Confused?
InsideEdition
Whenever the girls do interviews, people never fail to ask them if the couples have ever been mixed up or kissed the wrong twin.
But the girls are quick to set things straight: this has never occurred. In fact, Brittany has even gone on to say that it’s weird for people to even think about such things.
All Planned
InsideEdition
Brittany and Brianna are keen to help raise their children as a multi-parent unit, but that’s not all. They actually planned to both get pregnant at the same time, which takes a great deal of planning and quite a bit of luck.
“If Brittany were pregnant, I’d rather be pregnant too,” Briana explained. “Being pregnant at different times would be difficult, especially with the physical changes that are taking place.”
Even More Similarities
InsideEdition
Briana and Brittany are incredibly aware of the unique lifestyle they have chosen to share and of outsiders’ perceptions. Even before they met their future husbands, they wanted to devote a blog to photos of themselves dressing and living in an identical way.
But there’s yet another thing that makes Jeremy and Josh similar to Brittany and Brianna.
Soulmates
InsideEdition
If it’s even possible to find more symmetry, Briana was first-born in her twinhood, the same as Jeremy, while both Brittany and Josh came out second. True soulmates, alike in everything!
Down to the last detail, these two pairs were meant to be. After the birth of their babies, the quartet was elated! They couldn’t have planned it better.
Destiny
InsideEdition
It seems like the two pairs of twins were destined for each other from the moment they were born.
Perhaps this is why Brittany gravitated to Jeremy and Brianna to Josh – it’s as if they instinctively knew which twin felt most like them. If you read it in a book, you’d think it was too perfect, but it’s true!
Stars Aligning
InsideEdition
“The stars had to align. I get to marry the man of my dreams and at the same time I get to look over next to me and see my twin sister marrying the man of her dreams,” Brittany said in an interview.
The odds of something like this even happening are pretty astounding. And, for the Salyer couples, all of their childhood dreams came true!