'I speak to her daily': Taunton quadruplets' family celebrates and mourns on 1st birthday

TAUNTON — At only 1 year old, Ashley Ness's babies — Chance, Cheston and Chatham — already have distinctive personalities, Ness said.

“Chatham is as serious as can be. She’s a tough nut to crack,” Ness said.

Baby Cheston is apparently the “heartthrob” of the group.

“He is absolutely the biggest flirt,” she said, adding she has to remind him, “I’m sorry, mommy is the only girl for you to love right now.”

Baby Chance’s personality, she said, is a mix of traits from both Chatham and Cheston.

“He can be serious and a clown. He’s the mishegoss of them all,” Ness said.

For every ounce of joy and gratitude Ashley, the babies’ father, Val Bettencourt, and both of their families feel having these three angels in their lives, there understandably is also grief felt because the fourth baby in the group, Chesley, isn’t here to celebrate the one-year milestone.

A blessing and a tragedy

Back on July 28, 2022, Ashley gave birth to quadruplets, consisting of two sets of identical twins. The quadruplets were naturally occurring, with no fertility treatments. The pregnancy was an extremely rare occurrence, with odds cited as high as 1 in 70 million.

It’s a pregnancy that garnered the family a lot of media attention, including nationally from "People" and "Good Morning America."

The Ness-Bettencourt quadruplets were born 12 weeks premature.

While three of the quadruplets were able to go home after three months, Chesley stayed in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Mass General Hospital in Boston her entire life.

Chesley fought hard, but in February of this year, after 6 months, she passed away.  It was attributed to an assortment of health issues, including lung disease. A Go Fund Me fundraiser was set up by friends and family for medical and funeral costs.

“She was a fighter. She loved it when her siblings would visit her. Her vital signs changed positively when her mother talked to her,” said Dr. Leslie Kerzner, a neonatologist for the ICU at Massachusetts General Hospital, who cared for Chesley and was present for her passing.

Said Ashley of Chesley: “She was sedated a lot. It was hard for her to be herself.” But Ashley also remembers her toughness and perseverance when staying by her side as much as she could.

“She had the meanest side eye. She didn’t care for her surroundings, and she gave you those dirty looks,” Ashley said.

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What it's like having quadruplets

Both Ashley and Val were already parents before the quadruplets arrived: Ashley's daughter Chanel and Val’s sons, Isaiah and Zayden, and his older daughter, Tyra.

Ashley said even though she and Val were already parents, nothing really prepares you for quadruplets.

“I’ve always had patience, but having four at a time, that gave me a whole new level of patience,” said Ashley, adding that being a mother to multiple kids in the house isn’t something that can be shut off.

“Somebody needs me at any given point,” she said.

Val said Chesley's illness affected him differently from the way it hit Ashley. He said he didn’t really have time to reflect or process the situation, as he was focused on providing financially as a full-time auto mechanic, as well as watching over their older kids when Ashley took the quadruplets, either for check-ups at Mass General Hospital, or staying by Chesley’s side in the ICU.

In the end, he said he’s doing his best to be there for Ashley on her journey.

“She makes all of our lives easier. I don’t know how she does it by herself,” he said.

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Helping other grieving parents

Currently, Ashley is working part-time as a hair-stylist. She is also finishing up attaining a realtor’s license.

Ashley said it would have been easy to “drive myself crazy” over why everything happened the way it did. What’s kept her going is believing this is part of God’s plan and “I’ve been chosen for this journey,” a belief that has especially helped her when it comes to being in the public eye the last year. 

“It has helped me help others,” said Ashley, adding she’s received messages from all over the country and communicated with other parents grieving the loss of a child.

“I’m still grieving as well,” she said, but “I’ve tried my hardest to help, with the knowing that they are not alone.”

Last month Ashley penned a letter to Chesley May, which she was recorded reading as tribute, for a segment with Good Morning America.  She described the experience as “therapeutic.”

Bittersweet birthday

The family recently had a big celebration for Chance, Cheston and Chatham’s one-year birthday. Aside from recent surgery to close up holes in their stomachs related to gastronomy tubes, Ness said they are as healthy as ever.

A touching gift at the birthday party came in the form of a memorial marker and headstone for Chesley May Bettencourt, to be permanently placed in the backyard of Ashley and Val’s home.

The marker and headstone were presented by Lawrence Quintal, City Councilor and co-owner of Silva Funeral Home, wife and co-owner Christine Quintal, and Ed Correira, long-time businessman in Taunton and current mayoral candidate.

Quintal and Correira both said they befriended Ness over the past year through her family.

Ashley doesn’t want Chesley’s memory to wane from her family as time goes on.

“I speak to her daily. I’m always talking and thinking of her. It does help a lot. I don’t want to ever let her memory die. I want her siblings to always know about her,” Ashley said.

This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Taunton quadruplets celebrate 1st birthday, mourn loss of baby Chesley