Amanda and her husband John are opening up about the most painful chapter of their lives — the day they welcomed and said goodbye to their twin sons, Walter and Clark, born at just 19 weeks and 3 days.

Amanda’s pregnancy had been progressing normally until she faced a serious medical complication known as preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), which caused one of the twins’ amniotic sacs to break far too early. Despite the devastating news that survival was unlikely, Amanda refused to give up hope. She chose to carry her babies for as long as she could, holding on to every moment.

“Our perfect identical boys were born with strong, beating hearts,” Amanda recalled through tears. “At 19 weeks and 3 days, they were too small to stay with us for long. John and I were able to hold them close and love them during their short time on Earth. Clark even moved to our voices a couple of times — that small movement meant everything to us.”

Amanda described the hours after delivery as both beautiful and heartbreaking. “It’s impossible to put into words what it feels like — holding life and loss at the same time. I felt proud of them, and proud of myself for bringing them into the world, even if only for a moment.”

Though their time together was brief, Amanda and John continue to keep Walter and Clark’s memory alive. “They may not be here in our arms, but they’ll always live in our hearts,” Amanda said.