Meet Tony Jr. Hicks and his two sisters Sanai and Morgan, triplets from Baltimore, Maryland, who each weighed less than 2 pounds when they were prematurely born. But now, they are healthy and simultaneously beginning their journey as students at HBCUs in Atlanta.
These three incredible young adults faced adversity right from the start. Their mother, Sharnetta Hicks, recalls the doctor’s grim prediction that she might not survive beyond 24 hours. Born severely premature one minute apart, their chances seemed uncertain. Weighing less than two pounds, they were so small that their father’s wedding band could fit around their hands, according to
The Baltimore Banner.The challenges of raising them were immense. Their father Tony Hicks Sr. said, “We were doing 900 diapers a month, 900 bottles a month. You had six potties, three upstairs and three downstairs. We had seven car seats.”
Against all odds, the Hicks family dedicated themselves to nurturing their triplets’ faith and education. The dream of attending college as a trio became a shared goal, fueled by stories of their parents’ struggles and aspirations.
“They’ve told me stories about the struggles they’ve gone through and how my mom wasn’t able to finish college, but then she was able to go back. And she wanted us to push through, so I’m doing it for her and I’m doing it for my dad because he wasn’t able to finish college,” Sanai said.
“Mom wants the best for all of us and taught us to want the best out of ourselves,” Tony Jr. said.
The journey was far from easy. The family relentlessly pursued scholarships, recognizing the financial hurdles of sending three children to college.
“It’s very expensive for one child, let alone three, so they expressed numerous times… You have to be on top of your scholarships,” Morgan said.
Now, Morgan and Sanai are enrolled at Spelman College in Atlanta, while Tony Jr. studies across the street at Morehouse College — a remarkable accomplishment for this tight-knit trio.
“I feel like being able to do this and actually being from Baltimore shows that you can do this, you just have to put in the work,” Sanai added.
“And I’ve taught that to my kids,” Sharnetta said. “When everything just seems messed up, just know that something great is around the corner.”
With aspirations to become a biomedical engineer, an attorney, and an aerospace engineer, the triplets, alongside their parents, are not only making themselves proud but also their beloved city of Baltimore.