Surviving D.C. sextuplets finally get public support

Jet, Dec 29, 1997

It's been seven long months in coming, but public support for the five surviving Thompson sextuplets finally has arrived.

Linden and Jackie Thompson became parents of sextuplets in Washington, D.C., on May 8, but only recently have they received an outpouring of gifts from businesses, charities and private citizens.

Much of the generosity came after the public noticed the disparity in gifts the Thompsons received compared to those given the White McCaughey septuplets of Iowa-among them a free van, a lifetime supply of diapers and college scholarships.

Nevertheless, Linden and Jackie, who are the first Blacks in the U.S. to have sextuplets, are just happy they are finally receiving help. "I feel overwhelmed and happy that people are hearing about my situation and are willing to support my family," says Mrs. Thompson, 32.

Procter and Gamble Co. is giving the Thompsons Pampers for as long as the five babies will need them.

"They also gave us $2,000 for the time that they did not give us the diapers," says Mrs. Thompson, who did not care to speak about the controversy surrounding corporations' failure to donate to them earlier.

Similarly, Gerber Foods, Sears and Chevrolet have also donated.

Gerber Foods gave $500 in coupons for baby food, Sears donated baby clothing and the Chevrolet division of General Motors has donated a brand-new 1998 Astro minivan, which seats seven comfortably.

The vehicle is a real blessing;, in the past the family had to pile into two different vehicles because they couldn't fit all the babies into one car.

The family's most recent gift is also the most fabulous: a house donated by the Freddie Mac Foundation which will be worth approximately $214,000. It's the first house the foundation has ever given a family, according to Maxine Baker Stokes, executive director of the Freddie Mac Foundation.

"We see this as a wonderful opportunity to reach out to a family in our community," says Stokes. "We are delighted to work with the Thompsons."

Until their house is ready (they will move in after Christmas), the Thompsons are living in their three-bedroom apartment in northeast Washington, D.C.

When JET visited the Thompsons, the proud father, who comes from a family of 18, was entertaining the babies as they played, cried and slept.

Mrs. Thompson says an average day in their home begins at 7:00 a.m. when she prepares over 25 bottles of baby formula.

While her husband, an electrician, is at work, she and the babies spend most of their time in her living room. She gets the babies' clothes together and does laundry while, on a good day, the babies are sleeping. On average she changes about 35-40 diapers during the course of her day, which doesn't end until 11:00 p.m. A nurse comes in overnight so she can rest.

I go to sleep until morning and then I start my shift all over again," says Mrs. Thompson.

The Thompsons, who met in school and have been married for 10 years, say they've always wanted a large family, but they had no idea that God would bless them with six babies. Mrs. Thompson did not use fertility drugs; however, both parents are from families with multiple births.

The day before Mrs. Thompson delivered her babies, doctors discovered one died. In order to prevent any further complications, a caesarean section was performed, and the Thompsons watched their babies arrive: Emily Elizabeth, 2 lbs 11 oz, Richard Linden, 2 lbs 11 oz, Octavia Daniella, 2 lbs 6 oz, Stella Kimberly, 2 lbs 1 oz, Anne Marie Amanda, 2 Ibs 1 oz and Alison Nicole, 1 lb 6 oz, who was stillborn.

Even though Alison did not survive, the Thompsons still refer to their babies as sextuplets.

"I was having six babies. Unfortunately one died. But I still acknowledge that there were six babies, so I don't call them quintuplets," says Mrs. Thompson.

She was only two months pregnant when the doctor told her and her husband they were having four babies. Two weeks later, they discovered there were two more hiding behind the others.

"I was excited because I always wanted babies and babies came," Mrs. Thompson says, describing how she felt when she learned she was having sextuplets. "I was overwhelmed."

Mrs. Thompson, who carried her sextuplets for a record 30 weeks and 3 days, beams as she describes the significance of each baby's name.

Richard is named after her husband's deceased brother, Octavia is named after her mother, Stella is named after her grandmother and Anne Marie is her sister's name. Emily is a name she's always liked, and she knew that if she ever had a baby girl, she wanted to name her Emily.

"So basically, all of them have family names," she says of her babies, who were born two minutes apart beginning at 1:42 p.m. at Georgetown University Hospital.

Blissful that she's got so much to share with her five babies on their first Christmas, the young mother recalled when the family's future prospects were less bright.

"The community helped me a little, but not as much as most would normally help a mother of sextuplets," she says. "I just got a little support."