Twin who captured hearts in viral hugging photo has died

The story of Mason and Hawk captured hearts around the world and brought thousands of messages of support for their parents

Rob Crilly
Thursday 08 September 2016 15:08 BST
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This photo of Mason and Hawk embracing went viral
This photo of Mason and Hawk embracing went viral

The story of twin baby boys - one comforting his sick brother - warmed hearts around the world when an image of them embracing went viral

But now the story of the Buchmeyer twins has taken a sad turn as their parents announced one of their babies had died from a rare congenital condition.

They used a message posted on Facebook to announce that Hawk had died from Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia - a hole in the diaphragm that can allow organs to move from the abdomen into the chest.

Mason and Hawk were born on August 18 in Florida 

The twin were born on August 18 in Gainesville, Florida.

While Hawk struggled with the condition, his brother Mason was born healthy.

Brandy Guettler and Tommy Buchmeyer kept the world up to date with their progress posting moving photographs.

“This picture was taken a 11 days after they were born, it's the first time they have ever touched and as soon as Mason felt Hawk he reached out for his arm and smiled this big,” they wrote. “We thought it was time for everyone pulling for our boy to see this picture.”

The photo went viral, attracting a deluge of messages of support from thousands of people who had never met the family.

But the family shared on Facebook on Wednesday that Hawk had died and “was called home to be with Jesus,” and that he is no longer suffering.

The post brought a flood of condolences to the Buchmeyer family.

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