Lebanon family deals with losing twin son, engagement ring
A Cookeville jewelry store heard about their story and offered them a new engagement ring, one that looks identical but with an emerald on each side representing Oliver and Lincoln.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Kristen and Travis O’Neal said they were shocked when they heard they were having identical twin boys halfway through their pregnancy.
They also learned at their appointment the babies had a rare condition known as ‘twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome.’
“One of my twins, Oliver, is the donor twin. What that means is he was able to sense something was wrong within Lincoln. He actually began to send all of his blood flow and nutrients from his cord to his brother to save him,” Kristen said.
The couple was sent to a hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio, for emergency surgery.
Oliver didn’t make it.
The O’Neals said when they got back to Nashville, Kristen was seen by doctors every few days.
“We made it all the way to 30 weeks where my water broke. I was in-patient for a few days and then developed an infection,” Kristen said.
The family was rushed to labor and delivery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
“We took off all my jewelry. It was handed straight to my husband and he put it in his backpack and that was the last time we saw it,” Kristen said.
A few days later while their surviving twin, Lincoln, was in the NICU Kristen and her husband Travis said they couldn’t find their engagement ring.
“We unzipped the backpack all we find is my band and my earrings were gone. The diamond was gone,” Kristen said.
The O’Neals said they alerted hospital staff and started searching.
“We actually stayed in a camper at the Vanderbilt parking because, for the first several days, our son was sick. We were looking all over the parking lot,” Kristen said
The couple said it’s been several weeks and the ring hasn’t been located.
Both Kristen and Travis said they’d be okay if the ring is never found because they’ve been relying on their faith.
A Cookeville jewelry store heard about their story and offered the family a new engagement ring. The ring will have the same look but there will be an emerald on either side representing both Lincoln and Oliver.
“We say Oliver was our hero because it took him existing in order to save his brother. When I see him, I get to see a glimpse of Oliver,” Travis said.
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