BTN News: On December 9, 1994, in the beautiful city of Seville, three lives began a journey that would shape not just their own futures but also the lives of those around them. Jaime, Alejandro, and Álvaro Morillo, born to Noelia Aguilar and Jaime Morillo, entered the world under unique circumstances. Their mother, Noelia, who was only 24 years old at the time, had married her longtime love Jaime six years earlier. The couple had decided to start a family after some years of marriage, but little did they know that their story would become one of resilience, love, and the unwavering spirit of a mother who would do anything for her children.
Noelia’s pregnancy, though initially uneventful, took an unexpected turn when she learned she was carrying triplets. This news brought both joy and anxiety. The triplets were born prematurely at 32 weeks, a fact that marked the beginning of a challenging journey. Two of the boys, Jaime and Alejandro, shared a womb, while Álvaro, who arrived later, faced serious complications. He suffered two cardiac arrests shortly after birth and was immediately placed in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), where his survival was uncertain. Doctors warned Noelia not to hope too much, but against all odds, her sons survived, defying the grim predictions that had been laid before her.
As the boys grew, Noelia began to notice that something was different. By the time they were five months old, although they had regained their birth weight and looked healthy, they weren’t responding like other babies their age. They didn’t react to stimuli or show the expected developmental milestones. Noelia, with a mother’s instinct, voiced her concerns, but her worries were dismissed by everyone around her, even the pediatrician. “They only interact with each other,” she was told, “they don’t need anyone else.” It wasn’t until they started nursery school at two years old that others began to notice what Noelia had been sensing all along.
Receiving the diagnosis of autism was, in some ways, a relief for Noelia. “When they told me they have autism spectrum disorder, I thought: okay, what now? What do we do? It was a relief because then I could start working, start understanding them,” she says. The realization that her children’s behavior wasn’t willful disobedience but a manifestation of their condition was both heartbreaking and empowering. The years that followed were challenging, filled with moments of exhaustion and uncertainty, yet also with love and determination. Noelia doesn’t know how she managed, but somehow, she did.
Years later, Noelia and her family were introduced to photographer José Antonio de Lamadrid, who was immediately captivated by the dynamic of this family. The triplets, always together, dressed identically, moved through life under the gentle but firm guidance of their mother. Lamadrid proposed to document their lives for a year, a project that would eventually extend for over a decade. His photographs, which later gained international recognition, offer an intimate glimpse into the life of a family with three children on the autism spectrum.
Each of the triplets has a different level of autism, reflecting the broad spectrum of the disorder. Álvaro, the most severely affected, has an 88% disability rating. He is highly dependent and exhibits behaviors that some might find unusual, but Noelia insists that he’s like a “giant baby” whose needs are met as long as he is well-fed, clean, and comfortable. Alejandro, or Alex as he is often called, falls in the middle. He is calm and can spend hours focused on a puzzle or engrossed in a movie, memorizing every detail of the cover art. Jaime, on the other hand, though the most socially adept of the three, is also the most aware of his limitations. His questions to his mother — about driving, about having a girlfriend — are the hardest for Noelia to answer. She sees the pain in his eyes, and it breaks her heart.
Despite their differences, the triplets are united in their insistence on dressing alike. Even now, as they approach their 30th birthday, they refuse to wear different clothes. Noelia laughs about the extra work this entails — if one gets dirty, they all must change. It’s as if this shared identity gives them a sense of security and belonging in a world that often doesn’t understand them.
The loss of their father when the boys were 21 was a devastating blow. Jaime Morillo was a kind and generous man, known for his big heart and willingness to help others. He passed away suddenly in his sleep, leaving Noelia to navigate the challenges of raising their sons alone. The triplets didn’t cry at their father’s death, something that still haunts Noelia. They don’t express their grief in the ways she expects, and there are times when she longs to understand their inner worlds, to know what they’re thinking and feeling.
One night, while dining at a restaurant near their home, Jaime approached his mother with a poignant observation. “We’re at the restaurant La Ambrosía, and dad isn’t here, is he, mom?” Noelia’s heart ached as she confirmed that no, their father wasn’t there. She is constantly reminded of her late husband’s wisdom. He once said, “I can’t predict the future, I’m not a fortune teller. All I can do is give my children the best life I can today.” This philosophy is something Noelia tries to hold on to, especially when fears about the future overwhelm her.
Noelia’s strength is evident not just in her words but in the way she lives her life. She speaks quickly, her eyes full of intensity, conveying a lifetime of experience in every sentence. She peppers her conversation with colorful language, using it as a tool to emphasize her points with a precision that any linguist would envy. Yet, beneath her tough exterior is a mother who has faced unimaginable challenges, who has fought tirelessly for her children, and who has learned to embrace the unexpected.
As the sun sets over the beach, and the strains of “Happy Birthday” begin to play in the background, Noelia’s emotions spill over. Tears mix with her smile as she reflects on the past 30 years, a journey that has been anything but ordinary. “It’s like a bucket of cold water,” she says, recalling the moment she realized her children would never be like everyone else. And in that moment, under the glow of the setting sun, one can sense the depth of her love and the unyielding resolve that has carried her through the years.
This is not just the story of a mother and her children; it’s the story of a family that has defied the odds, that has faced every challenge head-on, and that has found beauty in the most unexpected places. As Noelia wipes away her tears, the music plays on, and life, with all its joys and sorrows, continues.
