Formerly Conjoined Twins Spend Their First Christmas at Home: 'A Dream Come True,' Dad Says (Exclusive)
Twins Amari and Javar, now 1, celebrated Christmas 2023 in the hospital — and since most of their family was sick, only their dad could come visit
Courtesy of Kaila Revello
Shaneka and Tim Ruffin with children Kailum, Enora, Amari and Javar.Parents Shaneka and Tim Ruffin tell PEOPLE "super excited" their family of six can finally celebrate Christmas with each other after their sons returned home from the hospital in October
Twins Amari and Javar — who were born sharing the lowest part of their sternum, diaphragm, abdominal wall and liver — were separated by doctors in August
"Now we're all together, that's just amazing," Tim says
Shaneka and Tim Ruffin, the parents formerly conjoined twins, have a lot to celebrate this Christmas now that their boys are home for the holidays with the rest of their Philadelphia family.
"I'm super excited," Shaneka, a 34-year-old stay-at-home mom, tells PEOPLE. "We get to all spend [the holidays] together."
Amari and Javar — who were born sharing the lowest part of their sternum, diaphragm, abdominal wall and liver — were separated at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) during an 8-hour surgery in August.
Since the boys returned home in October — after spending more than a year in the hospital — Shaneka says they've continued to thrive, gaining enough strength to pull themselves up in their cribs and improving their speech skills. (The twins, now 1, frequently return to CHOP for follow-up appointments.)
Courtesy of Kaila Revello
Tim Ruffin with children Kailum, Enora, Amari and Javar."It's amazing how fast they have progressed," Shaneka says. Now the family of six is looking forward to celebrating the holiday with relatives in Delaware — but first plan to make their own memories at home.
"Before we go over there, we're going to of course celebrate here and have them open up their gifts and just rip some wrapping paper," she adds.
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It's an important milestone that Shaneka can't wait for. She says, "All [kids] have that memory of opening up their first [presents] on Christmas."
Related: Formerly Conjoined Twins Celebrate 1st Birthday: 'They Are So Incredibly Strong,' Mom Says
All the excitement comes in stark contrast to the family's Christmas experience last year. At the time, Shaneka and their older kids — Kaylum, 9, and Anora, 4 — were sick. Tim, who works for the city, had to visit the boys alone. The best they could do was all jump on the same FaceTime call.
This year, the family isn't taking any chances.
"Everyone is taking vitamins and also medicine so we can make sure everybody is well during that time so we don't have to miss out on anything." Shaneka shares.
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Meanwhile, Tim, also 34, says she's looking forward to the "make-up time" that the family didn't have last year.
"A dream come true," he says. "That's what Christmas [means] to me ... that family time. Now we're all together, that's just amazing, man."
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