‘Married at First Sight’ Alum Nicole Thielk Opens Up About Infant Son’s Health Challenges: ‘In Incredible Hands’
Married at First Sight alum Nicole Thielk faced her “hardest” challenge when she she learned one of the twins she was carrying was facing a serious health issue.
Nicole and Chris from ‘Married at First Sight’ welcome twins
Nicole and her husband, Christopher Thielk, welcomed twins on January 6. The MAFS couple’s daughter Sofia Lily was born healthy and is now at home with her parents. But their son, Anthony Ramsay, is expected to spend the next three months in the neonatal intensive care unit at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital after being diagnosed with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) at approximately 17 weeks gestation.
“Pregnancy, especially with one sick baby, was the biggest and hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” Nicole told Showbiz Cheat Sheet. “I questioned every day why our son was sick and how we would handle it when the time came.”
CDH is a rare condition with no known cause that occurs in approximately 1 in 2,500 births, according to The CDH Foundation. Babies with CDH have a hole in their diaphragm that allows abdominal organs to move into the chest cavity, compressing the lungs.
Doctors explained to Nicole and Chris — who married during season 16 of the reality series, which took place in Nashville and aired in 2023 — that their son would need breathing assistance immediately after birth, followed by surgery.
Anthony was ultimately diagnosed with Type D CDH, the most severe form of the condition. Ninety percent of his diaphragm was absent, and he underwent surgery a few days after birth to repair the hernia. He is recovering from that procedure, which was the first milestone in his ongoing treatment. Meanwhile, he’s getting daily visits from his parents, who are committed to raising awareness to help other families facing the same diagnosis.
‘MAFS’ alum calls her husband her ‘rock’ during a difficult time
During her time on MAFS, Nicole made it clear she was eager to become a mom. Now as a parent to two little ones, she’s over the moon, calling the day her twins were born “the most magical day of my entire life … I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
“I wish more than anything that I had both babies home with me and Chris but I know our son is in incredible hands and our daughter is giving enough cuddles and sass for the both of them right now,” she continued.
Nicole added that she couldn’t have managed the scary situation without Chris by her side.
“Chris … is truly the rock of the family throughout all of this,” she said. “His unwavering love and support has gotten me through more emotional breakdowns than I can count. I am thankful every day for our new family and will be the most fulfilled once everyone is home together in a few months.”
Chris said becoming a dad changed his world.
“You think you know what love is and then you have kids and experience this whole different kind of deep love that you didn’t think ever existed,” he shared. “It’s an amazing feeling and Nicole is already an amazing mother and I am so proud of her and all she has already done for our family.”
“I am truly amazed by her every day and admire her strength throughout the pregnancy and now into motherhood!” he added. “Me and the kids are so incredibly lucky to have her! I love her so much.”
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