When Caterina Potts, of Jefferson Township, was 25 weeks pregnant with her twin sons, she developed intense abdominal pain while at work in her then-home of Jacksonville, Fla.

Doctors soon discovered twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, in which amniotic fluid is shared.

Both fetuses were in cardiac arrest when Potts was flown by helicopter to Miami, where specialists were waiting to attempt to save the boys.

In Miami, Potts underwent immediate surgery so doctors could access the boys while still inside her womb.

“We were fully prepared to lose them,” Potts said. “Everyone was preparing to come to Jacksonville to be with us.”

But specialty surgeons were able to cauterize the tube where the amniotic fluid was being shared to stop the sharing of the fluid.

“The surgery was so successful that the surgeon came over to me and held my face and said ‘Both of your babies are alive. Both of you babies are going to be fine.’”

However, Callen had suffered a brain bleed as a result of the lifesaving surgery.

Doctors said he would not be able to eat, see, hear, talk or even pick up his head as a result of the bleed.

“We would basically just be keeping him alive with a machine,” Potts said, her voice cracking at the memory.

The family returned to Jacksonville, and Potts remained in a hospital there for seven weeks.

The boys, who are now 4 years old, were born by Cesarean section at 31 weeks gestation with no complications.

“God had his eyes on them,” Potts said.

The twins remained in the neonatal intensive care unit for 40 days.

Shockingly, Callen and Nathan were under the least-restrictive care available in the unit, as they weighed 5 pounds each and neither had any trouble eating.

“The team of neonatologists were flabbergasted,” Potts said.

The boys also thrived at home, although Callen has cerebral palsy, which causes him to be nonverbal.

Potts said the family, which now includes 2-year-old Mila, moved back to Butler County so Caterina would have the support of her family as she raises her children and deals with Callen’s needs.

She said Callen uses a communication device to speak, but the couple is hopeful he will be able to verbalize in the future.

Regarding mental ability, Potts said Callen tested in the 5-year-old range in his cognitive tests.

“He’s very bright,” she said. “This little 4-year-old, he’s something amazing.”

In March, Callen underwent surgery by specialists at UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh that removed the spasticity from his spine. He then spent five weeks in a rehabilitation facility.

“His legs are four years behind,” Potts said of Callen’s mission to walk. “He walks with a walker now for school and home, and uses a wheelchair for long distances.”

In one inspiring event, the family took Callen to Illinois for a month of treatment by the best doctor at Napa Chicago, a renowned rehabilitation hospital.

“He took some independent steps with minimum support there,” the proud mother said.

Potts said Callen’s goals are reinforced at his special needs preschool at Mars Centennial School, which is offered through the Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV.

“There are wonderful professionals there who are truly looking for the best quality of life for Callen, and true independence,” she said.

Potts said three fundraisers have been held to benefit an account for Callen’s current and future medical needs.

The first was held by the Townville Lions Club, near Meadville, where Potts’ husband, Jacob, is from. Potts said the Penn Glade and Butler Lions Clubs also donated to that fundraiser.

The second was a T-shirt drive organized by her father-in-law, who, along with Jacob, works for the Butler and Aspinwall VA police department.

Potts said green “Callen’s Crew” T-shirts were created to sell at the fundraiser. The UPMC human resources department, where her sisters work, donated, as did the Butler VA police department.

The police also sent a huge bin of toys and activities for Callen.

“The Butler VA police department organized something so special for him,” Potts said.

When the T-shirt fundraiser was posted on social media, people from Florida, Meadville and Pittsburgh ordered Callen’s Crew shirts.

“We raised about $11,000 for him,” Potts said. “He’s been overly blessed. I don’t know any other way to say it.”

When the coincidentally named Dr. Janine Callen, founder and veterinarian at Twinbrook Animal Clinic in Middlesex Township, heard about Callen from Potts’ sisters, she reached out to her father, Don Callen.

The elder Callen, 95, of Penn Township, founded the Christian men’s group Penn’s Men in 2022 with the late Ray Hoffman.

The group’s mission is to help those in need, and he could think of no better candidate than the Potts family.

“You want to help them,” he said of the Potts family. “You kind of think what it would be like if you were in their position.”

Penn’s Men organized a chicken barbecue dinner, held Oct. 19 at Glade Run Church in Middlesex Township.

Patrons drove up, received their chicken barbecue meal and said hello to the extended Potts family, who were dressed in their Callen’s Crew shirts, before driving home to enjoy a delicious dinner.

“I was totally caught off guard with how organized and supportive this group was ready to be,” Potts said. “As a mother, it was so overwhelming.”

Don Callen said the group sold more than double the chicken barbecue meals than it expected to.

“People were throwing money around like crazy,” he said. “One guy wrote a check for $300, and another man threw down a $100 bill.

“The generosity of the patrons was unreal.”

The Potts family received a check for $3,200 Thursday, Nov. 21, from Penn’s Men from the chicken barbecue.

She said her son was excited to see his older friends again.

“The smile on his face goes from ear to ear,” Potts said of young Callen’s interaction with Penn’s Men. “The hugs got stronger with every person he hugged.”

Don Callen said Penn’s Men was thrilled to organize the chicken barbecue for little Callen.

“I’m 95 years old and God has blessed me,” he said. “The only reasons he’s kept me alive is to do things like this, to somehow help those who need it.”

Potts said the goal of all three fundraisers was not lost on her happy, active son.

“You can tell he knows how loved he is by people who don’t even know him,” she said.

Those who would like to support Callen Potts can do so by visiting gofund.me/dde84f94.