Virginia and Catalina are two albino girls from Argentina who became viral on social media when they were born four years ago.
In 2018 Jorge Gomez and his wife received the good news that they were going to become parents to two twin baby girls. The couple already had a son and became ecstatic when the doctors told them they were expecting twin girls.
According to Gomez, the pregnancy was completely normal, and his wife used to visit her doctor regularly.
“When they gave us the news that we would have two babies, it gave us a lot of happiness, and when they were born, and we saw that they were albinos that happiness did not change at all. For us it is a blessing,” he told a local news outlet.
The father-of-three said that there were no complications and everything went smoothly. However, in the 36th week, doctors told him that they had to deliver the babies immediately.
So, the girls were born prematurely in the 36th week. But they were healthy and weighed normal. Catalina was born two minutes earlier than Virginia. They both weighed 5.95 lbs and 5.5 lbs, respectively.
The unusual thing about the newborn girls was their milky white hair. Gomez and his wife didn’t see any kid like that before in their lives, nor did anyone else.
So, the girls became an overnight sensation in Argentina in 2018 and made headlines in many media outlets and newspapers.
The pictures of them went all over the internet, and people were amazed to see two small girls born with snow-white hair.
According to LV12, the twins were born with a rare genetic disorder, albinism in which there is a lack of pigmentation in the skin.
People with albinism do not have enough melanin pigment in their skin and are born with either white or blonde hair. This condition also affects their coloring and eyesight. Some babies even have ginger hair, depending on the amount of melanin in their skin.
Catalina and Virginia were the first-ever kids born with albinism in Argentina. Their rare condition made them popular in the country.
“When they gave us the news that we would have two babies, it gave us a lot of happiness, and when they were born, and we saw that they were albinos, that happiness did not change at all,” Jorge Gomez told LV12.
He said he felt super blessed to be their father and never once thought that they were different from other kids or something was wrong with them.
“There were some precautions that we as parents had to bear in mind. For example, the girls are extremely sensitive to UV rays, which affect their skin and can cause sunburn and even cancer in a worst-case scenario,” said Gomez.
“So, we have to be extra cautious all the time and make sure that they are not going in the sunlight and are well protected from extreme weather conditions, especially hot weather.”
The twins are now four years old and look even more beautiful as they are growing up.
Reba McEntire’s Heart-Wrenching Tribute: Remembering the Day Tragedy Struck 32 Years Ago
Today, Reba McEntire is 68 years old, and she truly deserves all the praise she gets. It feels like she has been part of my life forever, and I still listen to her music several times a week.
However, Reba’s life hasn’t always been easy. This year marks the 32nd anniversary of a tragic plane crash that took the lives of several of her friends.
After breaking into country music in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Reba McEntire was named “best singer” for four years in a row by the Country Music Association. She also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
But despite her amazing career and success, Reba has faced many personal challenges. In 2022, her mother, Jacqueline, lost her battle with cancer at the age of 93.
“She had a wonderful, full, healthy life and was absolutely ready to go. The cancer might think it won the battle, but we’re giving God all the credit for choosing the time for her to go home,” the country star wrote on social media.
Jacqueline McEntire always dreamed of being a professional country singer, and she was the one who taught Reba to sing, fulfilling her ambitions through her daughter.
“She left knowing how much she is loved, and we all know how much she loved us. We’re all going to miss her, but we have so many wonderful memories,” Reba said.
Reba truly understands what it means to face sorrow and loss.
Thirty-two years ago, on March 16, Reba McEntire lost seven of her band members and her tour manager in a tragic plane crash after a concert.
I remember that day in 1991. I was driving to work and heard about the crash on the radio. My heart skipped a beat when I thought Reba was also on the plane.
But she wasn’t.
Reba and her band had performed in San Diego on March 16, 1991, and were heading to Fort Wayne, Indiana, for their next concert on the tour.
Two planes were waiting at the airport in San Diego. The band members and tour manager flew on ahead while Reba, her husband, and her manager stayed overnight in San Diego.
The first plane tragically crashed just ten miles east of the airport.
Over the years, Reba has often remembered her lost friends.
In a heartfelt interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2012, she talked about the day her band died.
“The tip of the wing of the airplane hit a rock on the side of Otay Mountain, and it killed everyone on the plane,” McEntire told Winfrey.
“When we were notified, Narvel (Reba’s manager) went to meet with our pilot, and he told us what had happened. Narvel came back to the hotel room where I was — it was two or three o’clock in the morning — and he said one of the planes had crashed. I asked, ‘Are they OK?’ He said, ‘I don’t think so.’ I asked, ‘But you’re not sure?’ He said, ‘I don’t think so.’”
Reba had tears in her eyes as she remembered the details of the tragedy.
“Narvel was going room to room with a phone and calling…” she began, pausing as tears filled her eyes. “I’m sorry — it’s been 20 years, but it’s just like — I don’t guess it ever quits hurting,” she said. “But I can see that room. I can see Narvel walking back and forth.”
Now, 32 years have passed since the crash. Recently, she shared a photo of her band on Instagram to remember the tragic events of that day.
In 2020, she also paid tribute to her friends.
“29 years ago today, I lost my friends in a plane crash. The timing of Mama’s passing with that anniversary seems appropriate,” she wrote.
“I know they’re all in Heaven together and taking care of each other. Let’s keep finding ways to take care of each other down here on earth and never take one moment with our loved ones for granted.”
Reba’s fans quickly offered their support to the country star. Many sent positive thoughts and prayers.
“Reba, I’ve always loved your music, our shared horse background, and now following you on Insta. Prayers for you and your mother,” one fan wrote.
In 2023, Reba showed once again that she will never forget her friends and still mourns their tragic loss.
“Their love for music and the stage gives us all the strength to go on,” she wrote, sharing a video of the group performing together.
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