Graham and Janet Walton met when they were 17. Initially, they were friends, but their relationship soon grew into something deeper. When Janet realized that her infertility, caused by a rare condition, prevented her from having children, she openly shared this with Graham.
He responded that he was ready to be with her despite this and that if they couldn’t have children, it was meant to be. At 24, they got married, but despite numerous attempts with the medical technologies of the time, they could not conceive.
After 12 unsuccessful attempts, Janet and Graham decided that if they couldn’t conceive on the 13th try, they would pursue adoption. However, on their 13th attempt, a miracle happened — Janet found out she was pregnant, and doctors soon discovered she was expecting sextuplets.
The doctors warned them that the chances of carrying all six babies to term were extremely low, but Janet was determined. When labor began at 31 weeks, she had to undergo a C-section to save the babies. All six girls, weighing between 1 and 1.6 kg, survived despite being born prematurely.
It was a miracle that captured the attention of media worldwide. After giving birth, Janet returned home with the children, and Graham took paternity leave to help his wife. A team of nurses assisted them, as the parents were unsure how to care for so many newborns.
Janet and Graham bought about 11,000 diapers a year and barely slept during the first few years of their children’s lives.
Now, nearly 41 years later, the girls are all grown up, each with their own lives and families.
