Dying twin holds unborn sister's hand in heartbreaking sonogram photo

HUTCHINSON, KS -- A pregnant mother has a beautiful image to that may serve as a comfort through difficult days ahead: her twins - one with severe medical issues - were caught on sonogram camera holding hands in the womb.

Brittani and Ian McIntire were told one of their unborn twins will not survive. The boy twin has a hole in his heart and an abnormal brain, KWCH reports.

At each doctor appointment, the couple received more bad news, until recently, when the image was captured by sonogram.

Brittani recalled, "We didn't really see much, she said there's his hand and there's her hand and it looks like they're holding hands."

The boy twin, whom the couple calls Mason, is on the left, and has his tiny hand wrapped around the growing finger of his sister, Madilyn.

Brittani said, "Most twins when she's trying to take pictures and stuff, they're kicking each other and hitting each other, and she said with our twins, it seems like she was very protective over him."

Ian said of the photo, "We know we have a piece of them together that will last forever and it's special to have."

Brittani added, "It's just nice with everything going on I know I'm holding him, I'm carrying him but I just want to be there for him and not knowing and she's the only one who can actually be there and holding onto him through it, and so it's comforting to know that if he does pass, he won't be alone."