Twin brothers in Louisiana were both diagnosed with a fatal disease that required a liver transplant to save their lives, but unfortunately, only one of them will survive the ordeal.
The twins needed a liver transplant miracle for both of them to pull through. However, it only happened for one of them, who will soon have to learn how to live without his brother by his side.
Twin Brothers Diagnosed With Liver Disease
Nick and Devin Coats, 18-year-old identical twins from Slidell, Louisiana, are facing very different outcomes after they were diagnosed with a life-threatening disease.
According to their mother, Margi Coats, Nick called from school one day to complain about pain in his hamstring that was so bad that he was not able to stand. Nick was taken to the emergency room, where a blood test revealed a very low number of platelets.
Nick was taken to a hematologist, with Margi worried that he had blood cancer. They were advised to have Devin tested too, when the doctor was told that Nick had a twin brother.
The twins had a liver biopsy, which revealed severe scar tissue on their livers. This resulted in the heartbreaking diagnosis that they were both suffering from stage 4 liver cirrhosis, caused by a genetic mutation.
Only 1 Brother Will Receive Liver Transplant
Upon diagnosis of the liver disease, both Nick and Devin were placed on a waiting list for a liver transplant that would save their lives.
However, only Devin received a call that he will be getting a new organ. It is now too late for Nick to receive a liver transplant, and he is currently "in the dying stage," according to the twins' mother.
Nick told his doctor that he would like to walk across the stage for his graduation, as he and his brother are seniors. This will likely no longer happen though.
Devin, meanwhile, is struggling to accept the circumstances.
"[Devin's] trying to heal through this too," Margi said. "He's got his life and yet his brother doesn't. It's been very very hard for both of them."
A GoFundMe page has been set up for the medical bills accumulated by Nick and Devin, as the Coats family does not have insurance. The crowdfunding campaign has already more than doubled its goal of $5,000, with $11,000 raised at the time of writing.
"Thank you all for following along on our journey of trials, truth and triumph. We are going to stand and fight, and we know God is with us every step of the way," wrote the Coats family on the campaign's page.
