In Middleburg, Florida, Savannah Combs had always dreamed of becoming a mother, and when she learned she was pregnant with twins, her joy was doubled. But soon, her journey took an unexpected turn: at 23, she found out she was carrying identical twins who both had Down syndrome. This diagnosis, incredibly rare, only occurs in about one out of every two million twin pregnancies.
Savannah’s reaction? Complete love and acceptance. She and her husband, Justin Ackerman, who was away at boot camp at the time, saw their daughters as “precious gems.” Though the road to welcoming Kennadi Rue and Mckenli Ackerman wasn’t easy, the couple embraced it wholeheartedly. “It’s very rare what they have, but they’re my little gems,” Savannah told News4JAX.
Despite the twins arriving prematurely at 29 weeks and needing time in the NICU, Savannah was unwavering. “Every appointment they were alive was a blessing,” she shared. Savannah took to TikTok to document her life with her girls, quickly finding an audience inspired by her positivity. Along the way, however, not all responses were kind. Some viewers voiced criticism and ignorance about her choice to continue with her pregnancy after the diagnosis. One even wrote, “I wouldn’t want those babies; if mine came out like that, they would be straight up for adoption.”
Savannah’s response was powerful: “Good thing they weren’t born to you and were born to me. God knew what he was doing by giving these babies to the right parents.”
Savannah often updates her followers on the twins’ milestones and progress, proudly sharing how they learn, laugh, and grow just like other kids. She explains, “They have feelings, a beating heart, and they’re learning at their own pace. They may be a step behind, but they’ll get there.”
With her loving posts and real-life insights, Savannah has transformed her TikTok into a place of encouragement for families of children with Down syndrome. She shows her daughters to the world with love, proudly reminding others that beauty lies in all unique journeys.