Newborn Twin Looks for Late Brother in Heartbreaking Photo: ‘Felt Like He Was Watching Over Her’

Heather Bowman has a beautiful way to remember her twin son James, who was born stillborn.

After welcoming daughter Leti, Bowman, 39, reached out to photographer Jessica Young to take newborn photos, according to Today. Young went on to suggest they take a photograph honoring Leti’s late brother, who died when Bowman was 18 weeks pregnant.  

In the image, which was posted online by Young, Leti, who is swaddled in pink fabric and resting in a wooden cradle, gazes beside her to another cradle holding a blue blanket and a pair of angel wings, symbolizing her late twin. In an emotional touch, the ends of the blue and pink blankets are intertwined.

“This sweet girl visited me at my studio a couple weeks ago. Her twin brother James passed away at 18 weeks gestation. We wanted a photo to honor their twin bond and James,” Young captioned the emotional image.

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After she was approached by Bowman about taking newborn photos, Young told Today, “I knew I wanted to do something special for her.”

“I really liked the idea of weaving the blankets together… I thought it symbolized the bond between them,” she shared.

While Bowman thought the idea for the photograph was “so beautiful,” she was tremendously moved when Leti unexpectedly turned her gaze towards James’ cradle.

“It felt like he was watching over her and he’s there with her,” Bowman said. “I am so blessed and lucky to have this moment documented.”

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Opening up about her difficult pregnancy journey, Bowman told Today that she started intrauterine insemination when she was 36, as she didn’t want to miss out on “being a mom” even though she had yet to find a partner.

Although Bowman became pregnant right away, she suffered a miscarriage. After another round of IUI, she became pregnant with twins — but went into early labor, which the twins didn’t survive.

Before getting pregnant with Leti and James, Bowman was diagnosed with unicornuate uterus, a type of congenital condition where only one side of the uterus develops, making carrying a pregnancy to full term difficult.

Bowman went on to explain that Young’s suggestion to honor James moved her because of all the children she’s lost.

“They exist. They are my babies,” she shared.