In 1997, Kenny and Bobbi McCaughey made history when they became parents to the world’s first surviving septuplets in Iowa, U.S.
Their premature births, occurring nine weeks early, captivated the globe, and the couple quickly became media sensations, receiving numerous interview requests.
To mark their first birthday, the McCaugheys appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, where each septuplet received their own birthday cake and had the chance to meet former president Bill Clinton.
The septuplets—Kenny Jr., Alexis, Natalie, Kelsey, Nathan, Brandon, and Joel—brought much joy but also plenty of challenges to the McCaugheys, who already had an older daughter. According to Obsev.com, the babies went through an impressive 52 diapers and 42 bottles of milk daily.
Generous donations poured in to help the family care for their large brood, including a spacious 5,500 square-foot home, a van, a year’s supply of Kraft macaroni and cheese, diapers for the first two years, and full college scholarships for any state university in Iowa, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Despite the support, the McCaugheys continued to work hard to keep costs down, even growing their own vegetables to help sustain the family.
Two of the septuplets, Alexis and Nathan, were diagnosed with cerebral palsy and used walkers to get around. In 2005, Nathan underwent back surgery to aid his mobility and has since learned to walk without assistance.
The septuplets graduated from high school and pursued college education. Natalie, Kelsey, Nathan, and Joel received scholarships to attend Hannibal-LaGrange University in Hannibal, Missouri. Meanwhile, Kenny and Alexis stayed closer to home, enrolling at Des Moines Area Community College, and Brandon joined the U.S. Army.
This spring, the siblings who graduated from college shared how this milestone marked their first taste of independence.
Kelsey, who majored in public relations, reflected on the experience, explaining how being away from her siblings was a significant step in their personal growth. “Growing up, we were always together. Whatever we did, we were always together,” she told the Herald-Whig.
She continued, “Coming to HLGU allowed us to have our own experiences, develop our individual talents, and explore the fields we want to pursue. We’re not just the septuplets anymore—we’re becoming our own people.”
In 2015, their older sister Mikayla got married, making the septuplets aunts and uncles when Mikayla’s son was born. In May 2019, Natalie became the first of the septuplets to marry, followed by Brandon’s wedding four months later. Natalie now aspires to attend graduate school to become an athletic trainer, as she shared with Today.
Alexis, who studied early childhood education, hopes to work in an elementary school. She has also had success in beauty pageants for children with special needs, winning the Teen Miss Dreams Made True pageant in 2013.
Nathan is pursuing a degree in computer information systems, along with his brother Joel, who dreams of working in cybersecurity at Google, while Nathan enjoys assembling computers.
“Having six siblings means not only are we all the same age, but we’re also best friends,” Natalie told Today. “We’re really grateful for the friendship we share.”
These seven siblings, born against the odds, continue to thrive in life, and it’s inspiring to witness their success.
Wishing them all the best in whatever path they choose. Feel free to share this story of their incredible journey!
