4-Year-Old ‘Real Life Superhero’ Saves Twin Brothers by Donating Bone Marrow

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In just two weeks, a 4-year-old boy will head to the hospital to save the lives of his younger twin brothers.

Michael Pownall, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will be undergoing a bone marrow transplant on March 8, because he is the only match in his family for the 4-month-old twin boys.

“He goes to the doctor when he gets the labs for the pre-testing and he says, ‘Look how strong I am,’ and he gives them willingly his arm to get blood work,” his mother, Robin Pownall, told Good Day Philadelphia.

“The nurses are amazed. They’re like, ‘I cannot believe how brave he is,’ and he really is. It gives me chills.”

“He’s just like, ‘I’m a real-life superhero.’ He says, ‘I’m going to save my baby brothers.’ ”

The twins, Santino and Giovanni, were diagnosed with Chronic Granulomatous Disease, which is a rare immune disorder, and they are now in need of a stem cell transplant.

The couple’s oldest son, Dominick, was also born with the condition, but received a stem cell transplant from an outside donor.

Just one in 500,000 people are diagnosed a year, according to the news outlet, and it mainly affects boys.

“We knew it was a chance but for it to happen again to both babies we were in shock at first,” Pownall told the news outlet. “Doctors determined Michael was a match for both of his twin brothers. A few hours after the transplant he will get to watch his baby brothers infused with his bone marrow.”

Robin and her fiancé had to leave their jobs because she’s at the hospital with the twins when he’s home with Michael and Dominick. They have since created a GoFundMe page for people to help with medical expenses and bills.

Their mother is completely in awe of how courageous Michael has been to help his baby brothers.

“He could have said, ‘No, mommy, I’m too scared and I don’t want to,’ but he’s ready to go and he’s our real life superhero,” she said.