Little boy wanted to save his terminally sick 4-month-old twin brothers — then his selfless act gave their mom 'chills'

The 4-year-old didn't think twice before stepping in to become a hero for his twin brothers.

PUBLISHED 1 DAY AGO

(L) Little boy running around excitedly. (Representative Cover Image Source: Pexels| Photo by Hotaru), (R) Twin boys held by parents. (Representative Cover Image Source: Unsplash| Photo by Brooke Balentine), Quote - Robin Pownwall| Facebook

There’s no age to love someone unconditionally. Genuine love is powerful and holds selfless and generous acts that leave people stunned. 4-year-old Michael Pownwall became a “real-life superhero” for his twin brothers after learning of their urgent need for life-saving help, per PEOPLE. Santino and Giovanni were diagnosed with Chronic Granulomatous Disease, a rare immune disorder. When the little boy learned of their need, he stepped in without hesitation with a heartwarming gesture. Robin, the trio’s mom, was shocked after learning that both her babies were diagnosed with the condition. Her oldest son, Dominick, also had the disorder but received a stem cell transplant.

Little boy caressing infant brother with love. (Representative Image Source: Pexels| Photo by Pixabay)

According to Good Day Philadelphia, one in 500,000 people are affected by the condition and it’s mostly among boys. The twins needed a bone marrow transplant. According to the Blood Stem Cell Organization, each year, there are around 18,000 people between the ages of 0 and 74 in the United States who have conditions where a bone marrow transplant or umbilical cord blood transplant is the only feasible treatment. Only 30% of patients find relatives who are a healthy match and can donate. To the twins’ luck, Michael was a perfect match. When the parents and Michael learned that he was the right fit, they decided to go ahead with it.

Twin babies holding onto each other. (Representative Image Source: Pexels| Photo by Greta Fotografia)

For the 4-year-old, it was an opportunity to become a hero for his siblings and he was proud to help. Robin recounted how he had been supportive ever since the twins were diagnosed and when he got a chance to add to it by becoming a donor, he was ready, per CNN. “He was on board from the minute we told him. He knows it’s going to be a big needle going into his back,” she mentioned. “He goes to the doctor when he gets the labs for the pre-testing and he says, ‘Look how strong I am’ and he willingly gives them his arm to get blood work,” Robin recalled. The little boy’s love and bravery left the staff at the hospital stunned.

Little boy wearing superhero cape and playing. (Representative Image Source: Pexels| Photo by Vicki Yde)

“They’re like, ‘I cannot believe how brave he is,’ and he is. It gives me chills,” the mom remarked. Even on the day of the transplant, the boy was delighted, running through the hospital corridors, eagerly awaiting his time to “save his brothers,” per The Washington Post. Even as he watched the twins receive the transplant, he couldn’t help but exclaim, “That’s my bone marrow!”

via GIPHY

A GoFundMe was set up for the family to get through treatment and other requirements. An update revealed that the stem cell transplant was successful. Michael and the twins recovered well and were eventually discharged from the hospital. Like Robin, many are grateful and commend the little boy for going out of his way in love to save his brothers’ lives. In another video, the mom captured Michael holding the carriers of his brothers, donning his superhero t-shirt, all three ready and well to go home. “He is a real-life superhero and I could not be any more proud,” the caption read.