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'First, only time to fight for them:' Family's struggle to cremate stillborn twins leads to change in NC law

A heartbroken Apex couple's fight for the cremation of their twin girls has led to a change in North Carolina state law.
Posted 2018-06-29T04:10:24+00:00 - Updated 2018-07-13T15:18:50+00:00
Family's struggle to cremate stillborn twins leads to change in NC law

A heartbroken Apex couple’s fight for the cremation of their twin girls has led to a change in North Carolina state law.

The grieving couple’s twin daughters were born stillborn, after a missing membrane caused the two girls to become intertwined in utero.

North Carolina state law would not allow the girls to be cremated together, as the family wished. The law states that two people cannot be cremated within the same chamber.

“Unfortunately, it was too late for us and our situation,” Daniel Christensen said. “At the time, the world felt very unfair.”

The grieving couple, who ultimately had their twins cremated in Virginia, decided to fight to change the law to help other families and honor their daughters.

“For any family that has to go through this, it is awful.” Kristin Christensen said.

The family kept making calls and sending emails, urging others to also reach out to lawmakers.

“This was the first and only time I will be able to fight for them,” Daniel Christensen said.

Eventually, the outpouring of support reached lawmakers and a change to state law was drafted and passed.

“It’s nice to know no other family is going to feel this pain, this hurt,” he said.

Out of the tragic situation, the family feels there is another lesson to their story: Dedicated people can create change.

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