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3 SEPTEMBER, 2024
A special Father’s Day By Eddie Russell A range of emotions – from excited and euphoric to bittersweet and sentimental – is what Sunbury dad Tim Racovalis felt on Father’s Day. After son Lachie was stillborn two years ago, Mr Racovalis’ wife, Colleen, fell pregnant with triplets. She lost one of them in the womb but gave birth to twins Mackenzie and Cody at 29 weeks and four days. Born at Monash Medical Centre, a minute apart – Mackenzie at 5.31pm and Cody at 5.32pm on July 24 – they have since been transferred to Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Centre in St Albans. Father’s Day is particularly “meaningful” after the difficult few years with everything he and his wife have been through, said Mr Racovalis. “This was not my first Father’s Day. Obviously with the history that we had with Lachie, the previous years were a little bit numb because our little boy wasn’t with us,” he said.
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We are a pretty tight unit. After what we went through with Lachie, nothing can - Tim Racovalis break us now
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Father Tim Racovalis with his new-born twins Mackenzie and Cody. (Robin Bristow)
kids to be the best that they can.” Due to the premature birth, the twins must stay in the newborn services unit at Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital, which is located within Sunshine Hospital, but are “holding up really well”. While it is hard to be separated from Mackenzie and Cody when the couple go home at night, Mr Racovalis can see the silver lining.
“People say it’s a tough journey having premature babies in neonatal intensive care unit, and it is, but the way we look at it is we get to spend an extra two months with our babies. We feel privileged.” The family spent Father’s Day together in hospital and are expecting to take both babies home by the end of September. Mrs Racovalis, whose pregnancy was
difficult and challenging, said she was over the moon and was soaking up every minute with her children. Aside from being a new mother, she runs her own wedding invitation business and used to be a dance teacher. “We are just so happy that they are here – we love being here with them and I never want to sleep,” she said.
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“But this year is special. It has been a magical ride – we are blessed to have these two little miracles.” Mr Racovalis said he has been “visualising” returning home with his children. “It’s definitely going to be a very overwhelming feeling because we haven’t had that experience yet,” he said. “Being able to walk through that front door will be emotional and surreal but we can’t wait… as a dad, the best feeling you can have is knowing your family is safe.” Despite having to overcome significant pain and loss, it has been worth it for the couple. ”All that fear during each pregnancy scan and every new ultrasound has paid off because we’ve got these two,” said Mr Racovalis. “We are a pretty tight unit. After what we went through with Lachie, nothing can break us now.” Mr Racovalis said it was an “honour” to bring up daughter Mackenzie and son Cody and follow in the footsteps of his own parents and father-in-law. “I want to be the father my dad is to me and Colleen’s dad is to her. I’ll be happy to raise our