Identical twins receive medical miracle bone marrow transplant; now back home in LaGrange

LAGRANGE, Ohio - Identical twins arrive home in LaGrange months after their mother and father make the decision to move them to Minneapolis for bone marrow transplants to fight the onset of Hurler Syndrome

It was like a scene from Dance Fever at the Hurst home as little Bryce and Baen boogied down with their favorite singing dog and their big brothers.
 
"They're doing everything that a toddler would be doing at this point," said their mother, Casey Hurst.

The 17-month-old identical twins underwent bone marrow transplants six months ago to curb the onset of Hurler Syndrome, a disease that stops the body from making an enzyme that breaks down sugar. It ultimately breaks the body down.

Now they're back home for the first time since they moved to Minneapolis for life-saving treatments last November. "Just them walking around and running around the doctors didn't think they would do that this close to the transplant.," explained their father, Brian Hurst.

When the family arrived back in Lagrange Tuesday they were met with a makeover.

Friends and family  had knocked down walls, expanded rooms, installed new floors, and put on a brand new roof to make sure the home was sanitized and ready for the boys to come back home. "If the house weren't like this I don't think we would've come home so fast I think we would've been scared to come home," said Casey.

The family extends a great big thank you to friends and family, and companies like the Baird Brothers, Willoughby Supply, and Sherwin Williams who donated supplies and their sweat equity to make the makeover possible.

Brian still found it hard to talk about the ordeal, tearing up as he spoke. "It was hard, really hard cause you're stereotypical dad you always want to cries, you always want to take care of your family and it's just hard when you know there's a limit to what you can do," he said.

The Hursts say the last six months have been down right hard. They've already had to fight through one of the boy's near death experience coding out with renal failure.
 
"It was either this or you slowly watch them just break down, watch every system break down," Casey said.

They know there's a long row to hoe and that the life expectancy is short; but they say they'll do whatever they can to keep the boys alive and happy.
 
"I guess even if it was like a one percent chance this would work, it'd be worth it," said Brian as he wiped away tears.

On Your Side in Lagrange, Shay Harris, Newschannel 5.