The McCaughey family septuplets in the United States celebrated their 16th birthday earlier this week. Despite years of harassment from the mdeia, the septuplets say they've finally learned how to lead normal lives.
On Tuesday, Nov. 19, the three women and four men that comprise the McCaughey septuplets celebrated 16 years of becoming the first septuplets to survive birth.
The Associated Press reports that Kenny, Kelsey, Brandon, Nathan, Natalie, Alexis and Joel are happy to lead normal lives after the moments of fame they had as children.
Over 16 years ago, their parents, Bobbi and Kenny McCaughey, had problems getting pregnant, but after undergoing fertility treatments they managed to conceive seven children.
After the news spread of the septuplets' births, the media followed them everywhere. More than a decade later, one of the septuplets said he feels good leading a normal life without cameras or people harassing his family on the street.
Like all teenagers, the septuplets would rather worry about school, their hobbies and getting their driver's licenses than think about what the is media saying about them.
As you might expect, caring for the seven teenagers, in addition to their older 18-year-old sister, is a difficult challenge; the McCaugheys built a home with seven bedrooms and have to pay for the treatment of two of their children who have congenital cerebral palsy.
"The biggest challenge is making sure they have certain things or not, fashionable things. Three of them have cellphones and a couple of iPads. I'm on a prepaid phone plan," said the father of the septuplets, Kenny McCaughey.
Like the septuplets that were born in Egypt, the McCaugheys used medication to increase their chances of getting pregnant and as a result were implanted with seven fetuses. Experts say that it's very difficult for septuplets to happen naturally.