Formerly conjoined twins Adeline Faith and Knatalye Hope Mata were given the green light by doctors to leave medical facilities in Houston where they’ve lived since they were born April 11, 2014. That means Knatalye, Adeline, their brother Azariah, 6, and their parents Eric and Elysse Mata will finally be able to move into their home in Littlefield together.
The family had been living in Houston for the last 16 months to support the girls while they were at Texas Children’s Hospital undergoing the first successful separation surgery of its kind. Knatalye and Adeline were born with many of their vital organs connected including their lungs, their livers and the lining of their hearts.The twins made it through the 26 hour surgery on February 17 and were discharged from the hospital on May 8. Doctors had concerns about Adeline’s breathing as she is still using a tracheal tube, but they gave both girls clearance to leave Houston this week.
The Mata family packed their lives into a U-Haul and made the journey back to West Texas on July 3rd, arriving home to family, friends, and medical support staff.
“I felt that day when we drove in Friday, I just felt really blessed, you know,” Eric Mata said. “I was thankful that God got us here safely, finally, it was a long time coming but hey, I had to count my blessings and be thankful, very thankful.”
Since January Eric Mata had been driving back and forth between Littlefield for work and Houston to be with his family each week. He is very glad to no longer commute across the state of Texas.
Adeline and Knatalye’s care is being transferred to nurses and therapists in West Texas. Adeline will have a nurse present with her all day every day for the next few months, Knatalye will have a nurse who comes during work hours on the weekdays.
“For the most part we have care from doctors in Lubbock which we’re excited about because that’s what we’ve wanted this whole time,” said Eric Mata.
The family will continue to make periodic check ups in Houston, but overall the family said they are looking forward to letting the girls grow up in the South Plains. Adeline has another six months to a year using the tracheal tube, so the family still must spend a great deal of time at home to support her.
Right now, the Mata family is just looking forward to normalcy.
“All the normal stuff, that’s what I want to do. Cleaning diapers, picking up the house, all that stuff that nobody wants to do, that’s what I want to do right now because the last few months have been super crazy,” said Eric Mata.
The Mata’s six-year-old son Azariah is especially excited to be in Littlefield where his family and friends are. He’s turning the tree house in the backyard into a Batman cave and he hopes his sisters will play with him there soon.
Eric Mata says his daughters act like typical toddlers, he thinks they don’t realize yet that they were once conjoined.
It hasn’t always been easy for the Mata family receiving media coverage of their daughters, but Eric Mata said that some day all of the footage and news stories will help the twins understand their past.
“After they get older we’ll show them all the videos and pictures, they’ll know they’ll see the journey they’ve been through,” Eric Mata said. ” It will be cool to see their eyes light up as they watch all those videos.”
Following months of miracles for Adeline Faith and Knatalye Hope, their family says that being happily at home together is their greatest miracle yet.
“Hope and faith, that’s I guess the mantra for the whole journey. I want everybody to know, don’t ever give up,” said Eric Mata.
You can learn more about the Mata family’s story by watching “Conjoined Twins: Miracle Separation” which premieres on the Discovery Life Channel at 8 p.m. Thursday July 16th.