After welcoming their twin boys, a Virginia couple was over the moon. The adorable infants arrived in a loving home with four older siblings who couldn’t wait to hold them. But weeks later, the happy family experienced a nightmare.
Amanda and Ed Bystran from Catlett, Virginia were already doting parents to four children when they received another piece of heartwarming news — they were expecting twins.
On August 15, 2022, the couple welcomed twin boys, Brodie and Silas, into their hearts and home. Transitioning from being a family of six to that of eight members was something they wholeheartedly embraced. But fate had other plans.
The Preemie Twins
According to Amanda, her preemie babies arrived at 34 weeks and struggled from the very start. They stayed in the neonatal intensive care unit for two weeks and then survived COVID-19 and meningitis in September.
Sadly, their nightmare was far from over.
Welcome to the Family
Brodie and Silas were welcomed into a loving home with devoted parents and affectionate elder siblings. The Bystrans said they were thrilled to embrace parenthood again, and their older children were delighted to have little ones in the house. Amanda shared:
“[The older kids] couldn’t wait to meet and hold [the twins]. They were actually born on my 8-year-old’s birthday.”
After the twins recovered from their health scares in September, their parents thought the worst was over. But in mid-October, Amanda said her infants developed coughing and congestion.
The Diagnosis
Soon afterward, the Bystrans took their babies to a pediatrician on October 17, where they were said to have tested negative for RSV and the flu. Per Amanda, the doctors declared that her twins were most likely suffering from the common cold and sent them home.
But a few days later, the mother noted that Brodie’s health began to deteriorate, and he was severely congested. She recalled:
“It was like nothing we’ve ever seen. It’s like one minute he was fine and the next minute he was fighting for his life.”
On October 20, Amanda and Ed took baby Brodie to a hospital in Falls Church, Virginia, an hour away from their residence in Catlett. It was there that the doctor informed the parents that their baby boy had tested positive for RSV and needed immediate treatment.
Broken beyond Repair
Amanda said she stayed with her son during his time in the hospital, hoping and praying for his speedy recovery. On the morning of October 22, the Virginia woman said things took an unexpected turn when little Brodie’s condition suddenly became critical.
While the doctors tried to resuscitate him, Amanda called her husband and in-laws. But the distraught mother said her beloved boy passed away before anyone made it to the hospital. She expressed her heartache and grief in these words:
“My heart has been shattered into a billion pieces. No mother should ever have to plan a funeral for her baby. He should have outlived me.”
A grief-stricken Amanda noted that it was unfair that her sweet boy died before turning three months old. It was a tragedy that crushed the Bystrans and left gaping holes in their hearts. Sadly, their nightmare was far from over.
Fighting the Same Disease
Amanda and Ed revealed that their other twin, Silas, was admitted to the hospital after he tested positive for RSV on October 21. The distraught mother said he also had pneumonia and spent about 16 hours in the intensive care facility.
As of October 30, 2022, the Bystran couple said baby Silas continues to fight the same disease that took Brodie’s life.
Supporting the Family
To assist the family in their tremendously difficult time, Kristina Glick, a friend of Amanda and Ed, has created a GoFundMe account, which has raised $4,457 to date.
“The Bystrans are a single-income family, have 4 children at home, baby Silas in the hospital, and now must plan baby Brodie’s funeral,” wrote Glick on the fundraising page. Glick said she met the Bystran family during their time at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Preschool.
Glick also requested people to lift the grieving family in prayers and help ease their financial burden so they could focus on healing from their heartwrenching loss.
Holding onto Hope
Amanda described Brodie as an adorable little boy who was the light and love of her life. She said he shared a special connection with Silas. The mother lamented:
“They preferred to sleep together; they were always touching. It breaks my heart that I won’t be able to see them grow together.”
The Bystran parents are hopeful that their sweet Silas will recover from RSV and come home soon. We send our heartfelt prayers and best wishes their way in this incredibly challenging period.