In 1997, Bobby and Kenny McCoy were delighted to learn that they would be parents for the second time. They already have a daughter and are eagerly awaiting to give her a brother or a sister. But an incredible surprise awaits them: the ultrasound shows that Bobby is pregnant with seven babies.

The doctors are convinced that some of the embryos should be removed because a pregnancy like this carries great risks for both the mother and the children. However, Bobby and Kenny do not listen to their doctors. Thus, on November 19, 1997, the world’s first surviving septuplets were born in Iowa, USA. The smallest one weighed only 1 kg, while the heaviest weighed 1.5 kg. Their story is simply incredible, and we want to share it with you.

According to scientists’ calculations, it was more likely for Bobby to be hit by an asteroid than for septuplets to happen, but that’s exactly what happened.

In January 1996, Bobby, 29, and Kenny, 27, welcomed their first child, little Mikaela Marie, who is a miracle in herself because her mother was born with a malfunctioning pituitary gland, which didn’t produce enough hormones to stimulate ovulation. Having a daughter was a dream come true for Bobby and Kenny, but the family wanted to give her at least one more sibling.

Due to Bobby’s issues, her doctors prescribed hormones to stimulate ovulation. They warned her that the medication might result in a twin pregnancy, but Bobby wasn’t concerned because she was prepared to have two more children.

Kenny remembers the day he called his wife to ask how her exam went and what the ultrasound showed. Bobby’s voice sounded strange, and Kenny directly asked her how many children they were expecting. “Seven,” she replied. The news was a true shock, and both of them wondered how they would be able to feed so many mouths. Bobby remembers that day very clearly and says, “The feeling I had wasn’t exactly ‘Hurray!’ There were so many unknowns.”

The doctors immediately offer the family a “selective reduction” option to extract some of the embryos so that the others have a higher chance of survival. However, the family strongly opposes such an option and decides to leave everything in God’s hands.

According to experts’ calculations, even with triplets, the likelihood of the children being born healthy is 50%. Nearly half of multiple pregnancies result in spontaneous miscarriages.

Bobby was under the care of doctors who specialized in high-risk and challenging pregnancies. They were convinced that something would go wrong. But nothing went wrong. The expectant mother felt well, even though her belly weighed only 7 kg.

During the delivery, there were 40 experts in the room ready to assist. The seven children were born nine weeks early. There are four boys and three girls: Kenneth, Alexis, Natalie, Kelsey, Nathan, Brandon, and Joel. They were delivered via cesarean section in 6 minutes. At first glance, they appear healthy, but they remain in the hospital for another 2 months.

After that, the children go home, where their parents await them to work hard. Every day, the children needed 42 bottles of milk and 52 diapers. Bobby says that many family members helped her in the beginning, with her sister even temporarily interrupting her university education to assist her.

After the birth, President Bill Clinton personally congratulated the family, and Oprah Winfrey instantly invited them to her show. Additionally, strangers and companies from across the country donated assistance to the extended family. The generous gifts included prepaid nanny services, a year’s supply of food and diapers, a van, free education, and even a house. Bobby and Kenny couldn’t believe the kindness of people.

Not everyone supports the couple: at least one in every 10 well-wishing letters criticized Bobby and Kenny for “exploiting their children” or “wasting state resources” for their family. Sometimes, strangers would come wanting to see the children and even hug them. However, the family tried to live a normal life despite the constant media attention.

The McCoy children are the first surviving and growing septuplets, although it is later discovered that some of the children have health issues, which are common with premature births. Alexis and Nathan suffer from cerebral palsy and have limited mobility, but they do not have any other problems. Over time, Nathan, thanks to his persistence, learned to walk. “I learned to walk because I had a strong desire. Over time, I kept improving more and more,” he says in an interview. Alexis needs assistance with walking but says she doesn’t let that stop her from living life to the fullest.

When the children grew a little older, they started helping Bobby: “The girls helped me a lot in the kitchen. They loved cooking, and most of the time, dinner became edible! Their father taught the boys that they couldn’t get anything for free in life. There’s always something for them to do, even if it’s simply picking up loose leaves from the lawn or washing the car.”

When the children are 10 years old, the family needs 4 loaves of bread, 11 liters of milk, and 6 cereal packs for breakfast per week. The family has to buy 2 ovens, 2 microwaves, 2 dishwashers, and 2 washing machines. Their backyard has been transformed into a garden.

They all grow up to be responsible and diligent children who excel in school. Kelsey, Natalie, Alexis, Nathan, and Joel are in college, Kenny is in university, Brandon has joined the military and will get married very soon. Kelsey is studying public relations, Alexis is studying to become a teacher, Natalie is an athlete, and Joel and Nathan have chosen computer science. Kenneth works in construction.

In this photo, they are all together with their uncle Mikayla, her husband, and their little nephew:

As the children begin to leave the nest, Kenny and Bobby decide to move to a smaller apartment, and the large seven-bedroom house for the children is handed over to a charity organization that helps young mothers.

We can only imagine how many sleepless nights Kenny and Bobby had, how challenging it was to feed their family, how much homework they had to review, and how difficult it was to choose Christmas gifts for everyone. But they made it, and today all seven members of the McCoy family are ready to take separate paths.