When Jimmy Rees had to quit Dancing with the Stars while his eight-week-old son Mack was fighting for his life in hospital, Australia’s hearts broke for the Giggle and Hoot star.
But, while Jimmy and his wife Tori were going through every parent’s worst nightmare, they also had to juggle looking after their two other children, Mack’s twin brother Vinny and their four-year-old son, Lenny.
As far as families go, you couldn’t find a stronger bond than the connection between the Rees family-of-five.
As Mack fought for his life, the family banded together – including older brother Lenny, who was incredibly “compassionate” and “good at feeling things”; but it was the particularly special bond between the twins – Vinny and Mack – that truly amazed their parents.
In an exclusive interview with Now to Love, Jimmy shares an incredible story that will absolutely make you believe in the power of love.
Jimmy, Tori and their three sons Lenny, Vinny and Mack.
(Source: Instagram/Jimmy Rees)“It’s weird, it’s not there all the time,” Jimmy said of the twins’ special bond.
“We’ve just seen a few little instances and thought ‘wow’, even at such a young age, they just know that their brother is there.”
As Mack recovered from “the biggest 24-hours of his life” in the ICU at the Sydney Children’s Hospital in Randwick, he was on drugs that kept him calm and sedated.
“He had a breathing tube in, incubated, and was being monitored 24/7,” Jimmy recalled and what happened next can only be described as pure twin magic.
“We bought Vinny in and we asked [the nurses] if we could just put him next to Mack. At this time, he hadn’t moved. He had just been sitting there and just recovering and doing nothing.
“But as soon as Vinny was lying next to him, he sort of opened his eyes, moved around a little and had some little twitches – like he just knew he was there.”
The twins lay next to each other for fifteen minutes until their parents decided to separate them.
“As soon as we took him [Vinny] away, all of the alarms went off, beeping and buzzing,” Jimmy revealed.
“Mack just responded in a way that you could only interpret as: ‘Don’t take him away from me’. His little heart started racing and he woke up a little bit. It was just bizarre and absolutely amazing.”
Vinny and Mack lying in hospital together.
(Source: Instagram/Jimmy Rees)After dancing his way into the hearts of the Aussie population, “Jimmy Sizzle” shared the harrowing story of his twin newborns on social media, providing regular updates as he could.
But his reasons for sharing their tale was two-fold. On one hand, it would help others going through the same thing and on the other, it would help them as a family.
“There’s a few elements to the story,” Jimmy said. “Our whole journey is common.”
“Trauma is common and it’s OK to talk about it. Whether it’s your kid breaking their arm or having a life-threatening medical condition or a close call like we did, you don’t have to bottle things up and let it get to you and it’s OK to talk to people and share it.
“Sharing it just allows people to talk about it. They’ll talk about it with their family and friends, or even with their partner – because people find it hard,” he added.
And it’s not only Jimmy who was willing to share. Wife Tori is also an advocate for sharing their story – particularly about how they got pregnant in the first place.
“We had a struggle falling pregnant,” Jimmy admitted. “it wasn’t the biggest struggle in the whole wide world, but we had miscarriages and we were so excited, and then we were so disappointed and disheartened.
“People don’t talk about miscarriages but it’s just so common. It’s heartbreaking and the same thing going through IVF. It’s demoralising and heart breaking and it’s so hard. It’s amazing what that you can do it, this medical intervention that gives you a child,” he said.
“But it is gruelling. Sharing it just allows people to talk about it and it doesn’t have to be on Instagram or on Facebook but they’ll talk about it with their family and friends, or even with their partner – because people find it hard.”
WATCH NEXT: Jimmy Rees and Tori welcome twin boys!
Story continues after video
Jimmy is the newest ambassador for Bloody Great Friday, which aims to raise awareness about the need for 99,000 new blood donors in the next 12 months and encourages first-time donors to make a life-saving appointment.
And of course, this particular cause is very special to him.
“It was such a frightening ordeal,” Jimmy said of the traumatic events which took place.
“All of a sudden we were told that Mack needed blood, so we was rushed to hospital and given blood. It saved his life. He was an eight-week-old baby and it definitely saved his life – along with the medical staff there.”
“Every five minutes a blood donor is needed and only one in thirty will donate,” he added. “We need blood in storage for these reasons and the crazy fact is, 1 in 3 of us will need blood in their lifetime.”
Just look at these two! Vinny and Mack are the CUTEST!
(Source: Instagram/Jimmy Rees)About Bloody Great Friday
This Friday June 14 is World Blood Donor Day.
The Australian Red Cross Blood Service is encouraging Aussies to roll up their sleeves by taking part in Bloody Great Friday, the country’s first 24hr blood donate-a-thon.
The inaugural Bloody Great Friday aims to raise awareness about the need for 99,000 new donors in the next 12 months and encourage first-time donors to make a life-saving appointment.
Blood Service donor centres in Melbourne (Collins Street), Sydney (Town Hall) and Brisbane (Edward Street) will be open for 24hrs between 7pm on Thursday 13 June to 7pm Friday 14 June.
Donors will be treated to special surprises including live music and entertainment and bespoke snacks prepared by celebrity chefs.
Those that can’t make it to one of the three CBD locations will still be able to donate blood at more than 100 donation centres around Australia during normal operating hours.
Key facts about blood donation in Australia:
• One in three Australians will need blood in their lifetime, but only one in 30 currently donates
• Blood donations only have a 42-day shelf life so the need for blood never stops
• There is no substitute for blood and we need blood of every type, every day to save the lives of thousands of Australians
• A third of donated blood goes to people with cancer and blood diseases and 20 per cent to surgical patients
• Australia needs around 25,000 donations every week. In particular, people with O and A blood types are needed to help boost stocks
To make an appointment for Bloody Great Friday please call 13 14 95 or visit donateblood.com.au.
