TULSA, Okla. — Cole and Cub White were born at just 23 weeks old.
Cub weighed 3 pounds 14 ounces at birth. Cole weighed only 1 pound 7 ounces.
WATCH: Twins visit Tulsa NICU nurses who helped save their lives
They spent the first four months of their lives with the NICU nurses at Ascension St. John.
Here's a picture from when the two left the NICU:
“It was scary,” said Denise White. “It was scary for sure.”
Their mom, Denise White, and dad, Mike White, were told at a regular appointment the twins were coming that day. It was weeks early.
“From the moment we walked into this place we were embraced and loved by the nurses,” said Denise White.
As month after month went by, they didn’t know what life would look like outside of the hospital.
“You wonder will they have a normal life,” said Mike White. “Will they have challenges that other kids don’t have?”
Twenty-three years later, there’s gratitude and joy during their yearly visit with the NICU nurses who helped save their lives.
“I just love going back every year seeing the nurses who took care of us,” said Cole White.
“It’s a very unique relationship,” said Cub White. “It’s always so cool to see them again and it’s cool for them to see us grow up and always know what’s happening in our lives.”
The twins don’t remember their time in the NICU.
They do remember the relationships they’ve built with the nurses they visit every year through each important childhood and adult milestone.
“It inspires us every day to do our best,” said Cub White.
As Cub moves to New York to start an electrical engineering job and Cole starts his Master of Divinity Program in Kansas City, they’re reminded these milestones are possible because of this team.
“Do not lose hope,” said Cole White. “When times may be dark, we are living proof that there is light.”
“They were here for months so every time I came to work I took care of them,” said Olivia Hawkins.
Olivia Hawkins has been a NICU nurse for more than 23 years. She loves each visit with the twins and their parents.
“It’s definitely a calling and you know that you’re serving your purpose when you see that and see how well they’re doing and their accomplishments,” said Olivia Hawkins.
The White family says they’re grateful for the life their boys have been able to live.
“There’s a lot of hard,” said Denise White. “We go through a lot of hard but look for those.. look for those things that you’re grateful for and don’t hesitate to tell those people thank you.”
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