When Hannah Zimunya went into labor unexpectedly at 25 weeks into her pregnancy with twins, she was rushed to the hospital — but gave birth two days later. Hannah and her husband Xavi welcomed two tiny little boys — Dylan, 2 lbs, and Deiniol, 1 lb 9 oz. While both boys were taken to a neonatal unit at a hospital in Bolton, England, Dylan began to thrive and was transferred to another hospital in Wrexham, about 60 miles away.

With his bigger brother gone, Deiniol’s health started to deteriorate. The little baby needed 100% oxygen to keep him alive, but 14 weeks after his birth doctors started to believe that the deterioration in his health would be fatal. So Dylan came back to the hospital to say goodbye to his twin brother. Placed in the same incubator, the reunion with his brother started to have an effect.

Although the boys only spent five minutes together, hours later Deiniol’s condition looked to be improving and he needed only 50% oxygen. However, with his brother no longer by his side, Deiniol was soon needing a 100% oxygen supply again. They brought Dylan back to stay with his brother and just two days later Deiniol was taken off his ventilator completely. “It really was a miracle. He saved his life with a cuddle. It was brilliant to watch and it showed all of us that they should never have been separated,” his mom shared with the BBC.

From then on the boys stayed together in the Bolton hospital for two months. After providing his brother with a good dose of sibling love, Dylan left the hospital in January this year and Deiniol finally went home four months later.

The twins recently celebrated their first birthday with their three big siblings. The baby brothers are thriving, though Deiniol still needs a small supply of oxygen until his lungs are fully formed.

The wonders of medical science are allowing such premature babies to have a chance at life. And while medical research can’t prove the life-saving qualities of a twin hug, sometimes the miracle of love is really that powerful.

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