It’s a sight that shattered people’s hearts…Brooke’s heart sank when she learned she had a syndrome known as Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS). Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is an extremely uncommon pregnancy disease that affects identical twins or other multiples. TTTS develops in twin pregnancies in which the twins share one placenta (afterbirth) and a network of blood arteries that give oxygen and nutrients necessary for womb development.

As a consequence, one or both of the infants may become dangerously deficient in the nutrients they need to grow. It has nothing to do with being genetic or inherited, nor does it have anything to do with whatever her parents did or did not do. It can happen to anybody… and it, unfortunately, happened to Brooke and her husband Michael. “I was 24 weeks when we found out, but they indicated it had been at least a week, so we really don’t know when Willis died,” Brooke explains…

“The problem with being pregnant with twins was that I was still experiencing movement, so I didn’t realize I’d lost a kid.” “We were already shopping when we found out.” We had cribs, clothing, and toys… “You’re expecting two kids,” she adds through tears. The viral picture alone moved many people across the world. It depicts Walker reclining back on the headstone of his twin brother, Willis, bending his head and softly recounting his first day of kindergarten in Greenhill, Alabama.

The photograph captures a genuine, natural, and sympathetic moment between two brothers’ heartfelt bond. Brooke Myrick took this photo with her iPhone since she knew it was “very significant” to her 5-year-old son at the time. “As we were driving by the cemetery, he shouted, ‘I want to visit Willis,'” Brooke, 33, said to PEOPLE. “As I unbuckled his infant brother from his car seat, he raced ahead of me.” I just had my iPhone with me.

I had not planned on taking a picture. But when I stepped up and saw him like that, it was simply one of those “this is really great” moments.” Walker sat next to the grave because he wanted to spend some time alone with his twin. He was only there for a few minutes, but when he was done, “he was all grins,” according to mum. “He simply wanted to sit there and feel that connection,” she says. “He said he only wanted to talk to his brother about school.”

AWAY FROM THE RECORD In this heartbreaking photo, a 5-year-old boy visits his twin brother’s grave, but what he tells his brother breaks my heart. It’s a sight that shattered people’s hearts… Brooke’s heart sunk when she learned she had a syndrome known as Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS). Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is an extremely uncommon pregnancy disease that affects identical twins or other multiples.

TTTS develops in twin pregnancies in which the twins share one placenta (afterbirth) and a network of blood arteries that give oxygen and nutrients necessary for womb development. As a consequence, one or both of the infants may become dangerously deficient in the nutrients they need to grow. It has nothing to do with being genetic or inherited, nor does it have anything to do with whatever her parents did or did not do. It could happen to anybody… Brooke and her husband Michael were gravely affected.

“I was 24 weeks when we found out, but they indicated it had been at least a week, so we really don’t know when Willis died,” Brooke explains. “The problem with being pregnant with twins was that I was still experiencing movement, so I didn’t realize I’d lost a kid.” “We were already shopping when we found out.” We had cribs, clothing, and toys… “You’re expecting two kids,” she adds through tears.

The photo’s backstory. The viral picture alone moved many people across the world. It depicts Walker reclining back on the headstone of his twin brother, Willis, bending his head and softly recounting his first day of kindergarten in Greenhill, Alabama. The photograph captures a genuine, natural, and sympathetic moment between two brothers’ heartfelt bond. Brooke Myrick took this photo with her iPhone since she knew it was “very significant” to her 5-year-old son at the time.

“As we were driving by the cemetery, he shouted, ‘I want to visit Willis,'” Brooke, 33, said to PEOPLE. “As I unbuckled his infant brother from his car seat, he raced ahead of me.” I just had my iPhone with me. I had not planned on taking a picture. But when I stepped up and saw him like that, it was simply one of those “this is really great” moments.” Walker sat next to the grave because he wanted to spend some time alone with his twin. He was only there for a few minutes, but when he was done, “he was all grins,” according to mum.

“He simply wanted to sit there and feel that connection,” she says. “He said he only wanted to talk to his brother about school.” “Even as a newborn, I’d always speak to him about Willis and he’d grin,” Brooke adds. “When he was around 1 or 2 years old, he would rush up to the cemetery.” ‘That’s your brother,’ we’d remark. That’s where you’ll find your twin brother.’ Because I was constantly concerned that he knew where he was headed.

“I always wanted him to know that it was an open part of his life and that he should never grow up thinking, ‘I can’t speak about my brother.'” What an incredible bond that started in the womb and continued throughout life. Twins do have a link, as seen in another case when they put one dying twin in the same incubator as her sibling and a miracle occurred. What a heartwarming tale!