Howard University News Service
Special to the AFRO
The four surviving members of the Smith Quintuplets celebrate their 18th birthday at the place of their birth while the doctors and nurses who assisted with their birth cheer them on. (Courtesy Photo/Jeff Fearing)
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The birth of the quintuplets back in 1991 was historic. (Courtesy Photo/Jeff Fearing)
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(October 28, 2009) - WASHINGTON – Eighteen years ago, they were the talk of the town, of much of the nation even. As they exited their mother’s womb at Howard University Hospital, Makiri, Raziya, Marjani, Makesi and Dakarai Smith became only the second set of quintuplets born in the nation’s capital.
On Tuesday, they came back at the place of their birth to celebrate their 18th birthday and their entry into adulthood. And many of the people who were there at their delivery were there to welcome them home.
“We are so happy to bring our babies back,” said Davene White, director of Material Child Health Nursing and HUH Cares and one of the many nurses who helped delivered the children.
White was joined by Dr. Lennox Westney, one of the doctors who delivered the quintuplets, and by nurses Johnetta Threatt and Roberta Bell, who helped in the deliveries.
Westney, now retired, said delivering the quintuplets was one of his proudest moments.
“I have collected many pictures over my career, but none have been more impressive and rewarding then those I have of the quintuplets,” he told the dozens who had gathered with him in Freedmen’s Hall to celebrate the quintuplets’ birthday.
Westney presented the oldest child a copy of his book, Just As I Am, and was surprised to learn that the young man had already read the book.
Also on hand was photographer and Howard University professor Jeff Fearing. Fearing took the first photographs of the infants when they were born, and took some of the first pictures of them again as adults.
“This is pretty amazing,” he said. “It is good to see them after all these years, and to see the adults they grew into.
The children and their parents are from Bermuda. They were born at Howard University Hospital because facilities in their home country were unequipped to handle such a multiple birth.
In anticipation of the births to their parents, Robin and Troy Smith, television and radio crews and news reporters scrambled over the hospital for the story. Ultimately, their story was reported locally and nationally on CNN, the major news networks and Jet magazine.
White told the children how intricate their births were, but how well the hospital and their parents made it through.
“Your mother was 26-years-old and she was with us for 10 weeks in room 64,” White said. “She truly helped us understand the concept or working with a mother who was dealing with a difficult pregnancy. But, she endured.
“Together your parents were a great team.”
Only four of the children were at the celebration. One of the boys, Makesi, died when he was 2 years old of health complications.
The second oldest son, Dakarai, who plans to attend Howard University in January 2010, spoke briefly near the end of the ceremony as the children blew out candles from their birthday cake.
“On behalf of my sisters and brother, I would like to thank the hospital staff who looked out for us 18 years ago,” he said. “It is a special day for us to return now on our 18th birthday.”