Life will never be the same for Victor and Digna Carpio.
On Oct. 6, the Queens couple welcomed New York’s second-ever set of sextuplets.
The four boys and two girls arrival has been secret while doctors worked feverishly to make sure the infants all lived.
“I’ve watched each of my babies fight so hard to survive,” said Digna Carpio, 31, her eyes welling up with tears. “Life is beautiful, and we’re so thankful.”
Each baby weighed 1-1/2 to 2 pounds after arriving in the 25th week of Digna’s pregnancy.
They remain identified only as babies A, B, C, D, E and F because the parents have yet to give them names. They plan to choose names by the end of next week, when they turn 1 month old.
UPDATE: The four boys have been named Justin, Jezreel, Joel and Jaden. The two girls are Danelia and Genesis.
“The doctors couldn’t believe how much they weighed,” said Victor Carpio, 36, a maintenance worker at the New York City Housing Authority. “The two girls [known as E and F] were the heaviest ones,” he added, smiling.
Doctors initially gave girl F only a 25% chance of survival because of problems with her heart. It now looks as if she will beat the odds and survive.
“They had to perform surgery last week to repair a heart valve,” Digna Carpio said. “But she’s doing much better now, and they tell me her chances are better than 75%.”
Even though they’d been preparing for the big delivery day for months, the birth caught them and their only other child, 7-year-old Jhancarlos, by surprise.
“I’d just dropped my son off at school when I get a call from my wife at the hospital,” Victor Carpio recalled.
By the time Victor Carpio arrived at Mount Sinai Medical Center around 10 a.m., accompanied by his sister Eulalia Carpio, the doctors were preparing for the Caesarean section delivery.
- Baby A, a boy, was born at 10:36 a.m.
- Three more boys – B, C and D – arrived at 10:38.
- Last came the girls – baby E 10:39 and F at 10:40.
“It was incredible seeing all six of them in the arms of those smiling nurses,” Victor Carpio said. “We couldn’t ask for better treatment from any hospital.”
Tony Avella, the couple’s local City Council member, who has launched a collection drive for baby bottles, diapers, strollers and other supplies they will need.
He is asking donors to bring such goods to his office at 38-50 Bell Blvd., suite C in Bayside, or call (718) 747-2137 for pickup. The City Councillor is not accepting any monetary donations.
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