"In the small amount of time that we had with them, they really changed our lives," Breana Dell says MDPhotography Matthew and Breana Dell’s conjoined twin daughters, , were born in Atlanta at 7:37 a.m. on Feb.
29, weighing just 3.5 lbs. each.
“They didn't ever cry or open their eyes, but they had a heartbeat,” Breana tells PEOPLE. “They were beautiful. I told them they were beautiful.
” The couple had known for months that Breana was pregnant with conjoined twins whom doctors said would be impossible to separate and were unlikely to live long. Still, Breana and Matthew planned to cherish whatever time they had. Amelia and Elhora lived for about an hour and died lying on their mother’s chest at 8:21 a.
m. that February day. “Their lives were so meaningful," Breana, a 24-year-old stay-at-home mom in Alvaton, Ga.
, now says. "In the small amount of time that we had with them, they really changed our lives.” She also marvels at the sense of community created by her girls’ story.
Months after they died, Breana continues to share her journey of heartache and healing on Facebook and has found love and support in thousands of strangers — who share their own stories of loss in return. “Because of them,” Breana says of her daughters, “I think that there was a domino effect of other things that happened that are good.” Her husband echoes that.
“It's encouraging to see someone else go through something similar,” says Matthew, also 24 and a project manager at.