Parents Deemed ‘Unfit’ To Care For Twins With Rare Condition, So Nurse Adopts Them Herself

Linda Trepanier is a 58-year-old nurse from Minnesota, who has fostered 16 children over many years, as well as having three biological children. She also has three adopted kids — and three grandchildren.

Having fostered all of those kids, as well as working many years as a nurse, she has plenty of experience in childcare, and is now taking on a new parenting adventure by adopting two twins with a rare genetic condition.

When twins Marshall and Matthew were born, it was confirmed that they had Pfeiffer syndrome, a rare genetic condition which causes prominent skull and limb deformity. Pfeiffer Syndrome causes the skull to fuse prematurely, which means that it can’t expand as the brain grows.

The boys have a lot of special needs associated with their condition, including respiratory issues. Thankfully, they have an amazing new mom in Linda to care for them.

Child Protective Services deemed that their parents weren’t fit to provide proper care before they left the hospital. The twins were therefore placed into foster care at the age of four months — which is where they were introduced to Linda.

Trepanier says that her friends expressed concerns that she should focus on retiring, rather than giving full-time care to twins with special needs. But Trepanier’s maternal instinct is so strong, and she loves the boys so much, that she simply had to adopt them.

The condition means that the twins need to use wheelchairs, breathing assistance, and require constant care, but Linda doesn’t mind at all – she is in this for the long haul.

“When I first saw the twins, I thought they were the most adorable babies I’ve ever seen,” said Trepanier.

“They had big heads and tiny bodies. As soon as I saw them, I fell in love. I knew in myself that these boys were mine.”

When social services approached her about adoption, they only asked if she would adopt one boy. But Trepanier couldn’t bear the thought of separating the brothers, and so she adopted both of them, with the process finalized when the boys were three years old.

The boys’ care routine includes taking their temperature every few hours and monitoring their breathing tubes. Who better to attend to that than an experienced nurse like Linda?

Their new mom is hopeful that, with enough care and love, they will one day be able to live independent, happy lives. In the meantime, she’s completely dedicated to taking care of them.

“I feel blessed that I can make the lives of these children better,” said Trepanier. “It’s a really hard job but seeing them happy makes me happy too.”

Well, that’s what parenthood is all about, right there. It sounds like it was fate that brought the twins to this amazing woman.

“I just fell in love with them. I knew in my heart that they were my boys,” Trepanier said. “People struggle to understand. They say, ‘Oh, those kids are going to tie you down.’”

She says that the boys love each other and make one another laugh and that they capture hearts wherever they go. I can believe it, they’re adorable!

All the best to the twins in their new home with their loving new momma. Linda, you’re an amazing woman!

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