HOUSTON – Infertility affects millions of people. Data from World Health Organization suggests 48 million couples and 186 million individuals are infertile.
Brooke and Chris Martin are among those stats. The couple, who now lives in Houston, lived in Nashville in 2000, which is the year they decided to have children. Brooke and Chris were unable to conceive, so they turned to the Nashville Fertility Center, which helped deliver their pride and joy.
The Martins conceived twins through IVF. On Oct. 18, 2000, they welcomed two happy and healthy baby boys, born three minutes apart. Brooke and Chris were over the moon and the Martins were complete-- a family of four.
The question now, “What to do with the remaining embryos?”
“Oh my gosh, what do we do? We don’t want to use them. The options are to let them thaw out, donate them to science, use them, or donate them back to the clinic for other couples,” explained Brooke.
The Martins donated eight viable embryos to the clinic for people longing to be parents. And that was it until Jan. 1, 2021.
“We were both home with COVID and I had a cousin in Montana who is really into DNA and genetics. He said somebody in Nashville contacted me and says I am their cousin, said something about donated embryos or something and did I know anybody who would do that?” Brooke explained.
That somebody in Nashville was 18-year-old Thomas Monroe.
“I at least want to see what my ancestry is like, through my blood,” said Thomas.
The youngest of triplets, older siblings Lauren and Peter, were born to Trey and Becky Monroe.
Like the Martins, the Monroes were upfront and honest with their children about how they were brought into this world. Sadly, Becky Monroe passed away from cancer when the triplets were 17. But with her blessing, there was a possibility of a new beginning. You see, Trey Monroe was adopted, and through his journey to trace his biological ancestry, he offered the triplets their own journey of discovery.
“I can’t really comprehend it sometimes. Sometimes I feel like they have been always there in my life in a way, even before we knew them,” explained Thomas, who lives in Tennessee. Martin’s son Christopher lives in Waco.
“I think the timing was perfect if I am being honest, just because we were at the age, we could digest it ourselves. When my twin and I got the pictures of them, it was like oh we know for sure. Lauren looks just like me and is exactly like me,” Thomas said.
From looks to hobbies and even mannerisms, there are many similarities between the Monroe and Martin kids.
“Music for sure is the big one, we both share the exact music bone,” said Christopher.
“The story is obviously not done. Your parents donated a total of eight embryos. This is three accounted for. There’s potentially five more,” KPRC 2′s Zach Lashway said in an interview with Christopher.
“I would love for there to be more,” explained Christopher. “I would love to be 80 and walk around and some little boy walks up to me and say he is my brother.”
Brooke and Chris credit their faith for this journey… They say it was their faith that led them to IVF, it was their faith that led them to the decision to donate the embryos and it is their faith that is propelling them to help others considering similar journeys.
The Martins started a Facebook page to connect with people experiencing infertility.
There’s been so much interest in their story, the Martins recently signed a book deal.