Courtney Hill and Brian, a retired Navy Veteran who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait, met during a winter storm in Illinois in 2011 and fell in love. Tragically, Brian died in a truck accident in February 2016.
The couple had one beautiful daughter named Reagan. Before Brian’s death, they decided they wanted to build their family and have more children. They even took a pregnancy test the morning Brian was killed. It tested negative. Only days later, Courtney took another pregnancy test. The results came back positive, but just 25 weeks after, her doctor gave her heartbreaking news. Here’s her story.
When Courtney found out she was pregnant, she was shocked. At the funeral, she took a moment at the wake to tell him that she was pregnant.
A month later, Courtney began to experience unusual pain. She had no idea what was happening and feared that it was possible she had had a miscarriage. She prepared for the worst.
She went to the hospital and was shocked to find out that she wasn’t having just one baby. She was, in fact, having triplets!
“My jaw DROPPED. I’m excited to have three more smiles that remind me of him,” Courtney said about her reaction to the shocking news.
Courtney was struck by tragedy again when doctors revealed to her at an appointment just 25 weeks into her pregnancy that one of her triplets had passed away.
Courtney had already picked out names for the triplets. She named the son she lost Brady. Courtney was shocked, confused, and above all, devastated.
“It caught me off guard,” Courtney said. She had no idea that there had been anything wrong and was heartbroken to find out that she had lost one of her babies.
“I wasn’t expecting to hear that news at the ultrasound. It reminded me of the loss of my husband; with his loss came blessings.”
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“I lost Brady, but I was given two newborn babies who are healthy. Most triplets have weeks in intensive care. Not in my case; everybody went home the next day. We have suffered, but we also have been blessed with little miracles.”
Courtney’s surviving babies Harper and Miles, were born on September 21. Courtney has a hard time explaining to strangers that they are not twins.
“People jump to the conclusion that they are twins. I call them surviving triplets. Many people get it, but others don’t.”
“I don’t expect people to know my story, that I had three heartbeats for 26 weeks, but it hurts when I hear ‘twins,’ and I know in my heart that they are triplets.”
Courtney says that her daughter Reagan sometimes helps explain their story. “She’ll tell them, ‘My brother Brady is in Heaven with my daddy.’ Usually, that’s when other people get it. I don’t want Brady to go unrecognized.”
“He will always be my little boy. To call them surviving triplets makes me happy because I know he gets the credit he deserves.”
Although Courtney and her family had a heartbreaking year, Courtney tries to remain positive and honor the memory of her late husband.
“They will all know about their dad,” Courtney said. “From military to family man…he was the true hero. He was an amazing man, always willing to help others. He was just an amazing father and husband. He was perfect.”
