Durban - A year ago, three of Roodepoort’s miracle babies lay inside incubators at the Life Flora Clinic hardly able to breathe and seemingly fighting for their lives.
They were then as long as a ruler. Some of their organs were barely developed.
Today, Harvey, Gabriel and Daniel Emery of Constantia Kloof have defied the odds and have flourished into tough baby boys.
Their physique and giggles are a far cry from pictures published of them which showed needles and tubes attached to their tiny heads and bodies.
“Our journey has been hard but a blessing,” says their father, Robert Emery. “With the boys, you have to take it one step at a time. They each come with their own challenges, but we are enjoying each milestone.”
Initially born as quadruplets, the babies made headlines after they were delivered on the bathroom floor of their home.
At the time their paraplegic mother, Chantal, 34, had only expected to give birth on September 22. But when she suddenly went into labour in June at her home, she was left with no choice but to ask her 13-year-old stepson, Joshua, to step in and help.
The teenager showed mettle beyond his age, and helped deliver and care for the premature babies before his father and grandparents arrived home.
Sadly, Bradley, one of the quadruplets, died two weeks later from complications leaving the other three boys fighting to survive.
The family has a cross with Bradley’s name engraved on it to remember him.
Most of that stress is, however, now over for the Emery family. Happiness surrounds their home and each of the babies has developed their own identity.
“Gabriel laughs all the time. He is going to be the joker in the family,” Chantal happily explains. “Harvey loves toys and any song title that begins with the letter H. Daniel, on the other hand, is absolutely sweet. He loves sleeping. They are all a dream.”
With the introduction of day school into their lives, the triplets couldn’t be more content.
“Everybody finds ways to tell them apart,” says Chantal. “I remember going into their bedroom and the sun came through their window and shone on their ginger hair. It was a beautiful sight.”
But even with their newfound strength, the young ones faced challenges.
Daniel is partially deaf and uses a hearing aid while Harvey and Gabriel battle with their eye sight and have to wear glasses. Daniel has also dealt with a series of illnesses, including double pneumonia and swine flu.
He only returned home last week Friday after spending almost 100 days in the hospital.
Chantal and Rob say the boys’ paediatrician Dr Marc Kitoko has been an immense support - present since day one.
“He is a phenomenal man and always knows what we need. We owe him so much,” said Chantal.
Even on their birthday they all had bronchitis, but a birthday bash was later held for them at Len Rutter Park in Florida.
The Emery home is always buzzing with the couple’s four other children - Scarlett, 3, whom the couple share and Justine, 12, Danika, 13, and Josh, 16, who are Rob’s children from his previous marriage.
Rob says just leaving the house is a mission: “It takes about an hour to get everyone into the car. This is apart from bathing, dressing the children and packing their bag.
“We don’t even go grocery shopping because they can’t all fit in the car. The seat belt is too small for their car seats.”
Instead, Rob walks the boys and Scarlett to school every morning in a stroller and later drives Josh to school in Randpark Ridge.
The babies also still use a considerable amount of nappies and milk - with up to three tins of milk used every week. The older kids cook to help out.
“It’s usually mac and cheese and other meals they love preparing.”
But the family gets by with the help of family members and friends.
Rob and Chantal faced challenges when their medical aid initially wouldn’t cover the bills for all the boys because they were grossly underweight, say things have gotten better.
“The medical aid really came to the party and has now covered everyone. It’s just the small medical bills that we have to pay out of our pocket now and then,” says Chantal.
For parents dealing with premature babies, Rob’s advice is: take it one step at a time.
“No one can plan for tomorrow. You need to be brave.”
As the triplets prepare to take their first steps, have their first swim and spend time together out in the summer sun, those who have witnessed their resilience will always see them as Roodepoort’s champions.