Florida Mom of Rare Identical Twins with Down Syndrome Shares Powerful Message of Love and Strength

While the odds of having twins have gone up 72% between 1980 and 2018, it’s still relatively rare — only about 33 out of every 1,000 births result in twins. And identical twins? Even more uncommon, at just 3 to 4 in every 1,000 births.

So when 23-year-old Savannah Combs from Middleburg, Florida found out she was expecting identical twins, she was thrilled. But then came another surprise — both babies had Down syndrome. It was news that came with a wave of emotion.

Savannah and her husband, Justin Ackerman, knew there would be people who judged them and their daughters because of the diagnosis. But Savannah didn’t let that shake her. To her, that was exactly what made her girls so special.

She began documenting her journey as a first-time mom to twins, Kennadi Rue and Mckenli Ackerman, on TikTok. Her honesty, positivity, and love for her daughters quickly won over thousands of followers.

In one emotional video, Savannah shared that doctors had suggested terminating the pregnancy, warning that the twins might not survive. But Savannah chose hope.
“Every prenatal appointment they were alive was a blessing to me,” she said.

At the time, Justin was away at boot camp. At just 29 weeks pregnant, Savannah was admitted to the hospital and gave birth to her girls on May 12, 2021 — two months early. The twins spent several weeks in the NICU before finally coming home.

“They have feelings. They have a beating heart. They know how to talk. They know how to do things you do,” Savannah said. “It might take them a little longer, but they’ll get there. These girls are feisty and full of joy.”

As the twins grow and hit new milestones, Savannah continues to share updates with her growing TikTok community. Her message is simple but powerful: her daughters are just like everyone else — capable, strong, and deeply loved.

Unfortunately, not all feedback has been kind. Savannah has had to deal with cruel comments from strangers online. One person even messaged her saying, “I wouldn’t want those babies. If mine came out like that, they’d be up for adoption.”

Savannah responded with grace and strength, posting her reply on Facebook:
“I said, 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 — ones who would love them no matter what.”