In the mid-1980s, Karin Scholtz took a simple photo of her triplets when they were just one year old. She didn't know it then, but that photo was the start of something big.
Over the years, she made it a habit to capture their growth with more photos. Each picture marked their journey from babies to toddlers, then to teenagers, and finally to adults. This collection of photos turned into a unique record of their lives. But the photos ended up telling a bigger story than Karin ever imagined...
The Unforgettable Triplets
Karin Scholtz was a proud mother of three boys, her triplets, who were the center of her world. Little did she know, a simple photo would take her on a journey she could never have imagined.
It marked the beginning of a heartfelt project that would capture the changing faces of her boys.
A Photo That Changed Everything
Back in the mid-1980s, Karin captured a simple picture of her triplets at one year old, not realizing the impact it would eventually have. Unbeknownst to her, this single image would evolve into a cherished collection, documenting her sons' development over the years.
These pictures became very important to them, showing how family love lasts a lifetime.
The First Annual Birthday Picture
Karin took another photo of the triplets. This time, she put them in matching outfits and snapped a picture of their happy faces. Without knowing then, she started a yearly tradition.
Each birthday photo would become a special way to see how much they grew and stayed close as brothers.
Terrible Two's
In 1986, the boys turned two. If they were unaware of what was going on the previous year when the first photo was taken, now they knew exactly what was going on and were happily willing to participate. They posed for the camera and showed off their captivating blond curls and magnetic eyes while holding the sign their mother made. They were the cutest two-year-olds around.
A Growing Family
As the years went by, the triplets got bigger, and so did Karin's love for them. Karin's photo collection became a family treasure, filled with laughter and everyday adventures.
She kept up with the birthday photo every year, showing how the boys changed and the big moments in their lives, like when they started walking or went to school for the first time.
Four and More...
A change of location didn't stand in the way of another adorable photo. The sign was prepared, the magnificent three sat up high, and the rest is history. There were still more unpleasant surprises down the line, but for now, the boys were focused on their upcoming fifth birthdays.
The Childhood Years
When the triplets hit their teens, Karin took photos of their wild times, their high school graduations, and their first big heartaches. Even when things got tough, she loved every bit of it, seeing her boys turn into young men.
She kept taking those yearly photos, showing not just how they looked, but how they were changing on the inside, too.
Identical Smiles
When the boy's sixth birthday arrived, they were all happy once again to take a photo. They were leading a normal life as expected from six-year-olds. School, friends, and laughter filled their days. Karin was doing fine, the matching tops were bought, the sign was prepared, and the smiles were put back on their faces.
No Longer Matching
The days of Karin deciding what to wear and when to wear it were drifting away. It was on the triplet's seventh birthday they dared to do something different. This was the first year their individuality shone. Dennis, Peter, and Mark wore the same overalls but underneath they each had a different sweater. They were still one unit, however, the frame started to crack.
Band of Brothers
Not only was the photo and sign a tradition, Karin and the boys decided to turn the different sweater theme into a tradition too. On their eighth birthday, they all had polka dots sweaters on, each in a different color. The boys' eighth birthday might have brought with it happiness and joy, however, a tragedy was coming along the way.
A Mother's Love Never Fades
This tradition was a way to show the never-ending love and support their mom had always given them. Every year, no matter what, this photo brought them back to their roots. It wasn't just a picture, it was a symbol of a mother's love that never changes, even as everything else does.
A Special Bond
They were more than brothers. They were best friends, secret keepers, and each other's defenders. The yearly photo was more than just a tradition, and it was a sign of their strong bond. Their connection remained constant, always strong, always together, weaving a unique of brotherhood that was visible in every picture.
Their Mother's Legacy
Karin's yearly photo tradition did more than just track her triplets' growth, it built a legacy that her family would treasure for generations to come. Every photo stood as a testament to a mother's love, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment. This legacy of love and perseverance, captured in Karin's photographic journey, promised to inspire and guide her family for many years to come, turning simple moments into timeless treasures.
A Change in Routine
Life had its obstacles and the twelfth birthday celebrations were full of them too. These were surprises of the bad kind. Karin was heartbroken when she learned Peter was diagnosed with epilepsy and while Dennis and Mark were preparing to start high school, Peter was preparing for daily visits to the doctor's office. But even so, the boys wouldn't let random visits to the hospital or unexpected seizures get them down.
Each Going Their Own Way
Peter's new medical condition had its consequences. His parents decided it would be best for him to stay back in elementary school while Dennis and Mark moved on to big boy school.
This was just another note in the book emphasizing that no matter how similar the three looked, behind every face was a story full of individual needs, individual ambitions, and individual dreams.
Fourteen and Back Together
14 years have flown by and the three boys were turning into charming young men. Peter joined his brothers in high school and paved his way to being one of the best students in class. The three brothers were back together and preparations for the fourteenth photo took place. A sign was prepared, there was no need for matching tops and another year went by.
The Beads of an Era
When the triplets turned 15, the 1990s roared in too. They brought with them Pokémon, stuffed crust pizza, and...bead necklaces. For the traditional photo, the era's symbols had to be presented. The boys were doing well at school keeping top of the class and, of course, they knew what's what when it came to fashion. You can't beat the beads.
Hair Style Statement
Remember independence? Well, for their sixteenth birthday celebrations, their each-for-your-own hairstyle kicked in. Whether it was pitch black dye or Irish red locks, the boys were experimenting with life to the extreme. For their sixteenth traditional photo, Dennis decided to stay naturally blond while the other two had some dyeing experiments.
Already Seventeen
By the time they turned seventeen, the boys parted with their colored hair and mutually decided to go back to their natural looks. This birthday was the one that brought back the similarity between the three.
They were a stunning trio and they looked forward to a bright future. The sign was prepared, the flash was set, and the traditional photo was taken.
What Do You Want to Do When You Grow Up?
It was hard to imagine that eighteen years had gone by and that they took their traditional photo without skipping even one year. They graduated from high school and decided on the next steps they wanted to take in life. Dennis wanted to become a sports masseuse and Mark a teacher.
For Peter, the world of architecture was the future and he decided to turn that way. Three talented boys were about to discover the world.
When Things Got Worse
By the time Peter, Mark, and Dennis turned nineteen, it was believed that Peter had seen the worst of his epilepsy seizure. Unfortunately, this was not the case. As they were preparing to take their traditional photo, Peter experienced one of the worst seizures in his life. This would leave an impact for years to come.
They were there for one another through thick and thin and nothing was about to change. Nineteen photos were taken by now and there were many more to come.
Going on a European Adventure
One of the most significant impacts of Peter's condition on him was that he felt uncomfortable being on his own. He was afraid of being alone in case something happened. As he was planning to study in Berlin, Germany, Dennis and Mark saw no other option than to join their brother on his European adventure.
The three moved to the German capital not forgetting to preserve their birthday tradition and took their twentieth photo in Deutschland.
It Was Now or Never
One of the most noticeable things that grew as the triplets entered their twenties was their hair. With their twenty-first birthday just around the corner, the boys were living life and enjoying the moment. They took their traditional photo unaware of what was about to happen. They couldn't control everything and not all was in their hands.
Still Hanging in There
They were twenty-two and still living in Berlin. Life was good. If not for the fact that Peter slightly trimmed his hair the three still looked very much alike. How long could this go on? For how many years could the boys keep on with this birthday photo tradition? How many photos were down the line? No one could say.
Home Sweet Home
By 2008 Dennis, Peter and Mark had all completed their studies. It was time for them to go back home. At first, they believed that they were returning to the same home they left, however, the table was about to turn. Karin was about to discover something that would yet again find them unprepared. This would now change their lives once more.
A Never-Ending Birthday Sign
Karin was diagnosed with a severe medical condition. The boys were celebrating their twenty-fourth birthday and at the same time taking care of their beloved mother. Peter's new girlfriend, Suzan, helped the boys at these difficult moments. With all that was going on, they did not neglect their tradition and another photo was taken. Three twenty-four-year-old men in three different tops and one long-lasting sign. What a beautiful tradition this was.
A Quarter of a Century
At twenty-five, the triplets were still bonded together all living with their mother under the same roof. By now, Peter's girlfriend, Suzan, permanently moved in. The boys each had a different hairstyle so it was easy to tell them apart.
One had it relatively short, while the other two were competing in the 'Dennis the Menace' lookalike contest. Mark was in the lead. The traditional photo was taken and a quarter of a century had passed.
The Beginning of the End
Even at twenty-six, the boys kept the tradition their mother started and took the birthday photo with pride. They wouldn't allow even one piece of long hair to get in their way. They were about to embrace the most beautiful years of their lives no matter how many obstacles were waiting ahead. With eye-blinding smiles, Peter, Dennis, and Mark posed to the camera and documented another photo to join the rest. The next year was the year that changed everything for the three brothers and their loved ones.
When It's Time to Say Goodbye
When the triplets turned twenty-seven, it was the beginning of a new chapter in their lives — one like they never knew before. They sadly had to part with the most precious person in their lives. Their mother Karin passed away after losing her battle with cancer. They were devastated, however, this would only bring them closer.
The big house they grew up in was left to them and they decided to stick together and carry on living there. It was spacious, none of the three had any plans that could affect the others and it held so many memories. It was too early for them to say goodbye. The twenty-seventh photo was taken.
The Greatest Gift of All
For their twenty eighth celebration, they couldn't have asked for a greater gift. Especially not Peter. Suzan was pregnant and nothing made them happier than the fact that their baby would grow up in the same house Peter did. In 2013, the triplets turned twenty-eight and baby Noah was born.
They were now new parents, two new uncles, and a brand new photo to document the occasion. There are some things in life that never change and the traditional photo was one of them.
Another Snapshot Created
The three brothers, Peter, Mark, and Dennis, were leading hectic lifestyles with all three having full-time jobs and Peter being a new dad. With all that was going on, they still spared two minutes every year not only for the sake but in memory of their mother.
This year was no exception. At twenty-nine, with their thirties just around the corner, another photo was added to the archive.
A Double Celebration
It's not every day one turns thirty and when there are three involved, this definitely called for a party. When the boys turned thirty they had the party of a lifetime. They celebrated their birthday and they celebrated Peter and Suzan getting married too.
Peter was officially tying the knot with the love of his life and Dennis and Mark were tying the sign for the traditional birthday photo.
Thirty-One Memorable Years
It was now thirty-one years of the three brothers getting together every year and creating a memory that would last a lifetime. They still all lived together, still worked, provided, and helped in bringing up their son and nephew. Thirty-one years have flown by.
They have known their ups and downs, they have seen how heartbreaking life can sometimes be, and they have enjoyed the most beautiful things it can also bring with it.
The Simple Things in Life
When their thirty-second celebration came, they still had the initial sign their mother made for them all those years ago. Except for the age label, it was the same old simple sign that meant so much to them. The boys, now men, were taller, the smiles were bigger and the end of this tradition was peeking from behind the camera's lens. This beautiful tradition was about to drift off and become just a memory.
Double Three Birthday
The double-three birthday arrived. Amazingly, they still all looked not a day over twenty. Taking birthday photos was becoming nothing special and the triplets were beginning to show signs of it. They were not as interested as before, and even though it only took a moment or two to do, they felt the end was near.
When I'm Thirty Four
By the time the three were thirty-four, the difference between the three was significant. The one-third in the middle had his unique ways while the two on both sides resembled tremendously. These three were adored by all as such a relationship between brothers is only something to admire.
The Last Word Has Not Been Said
The thirty-six photo was the last one. After more than three decades, the three brothers felt that the peak had passed and that the thirty-six photos they had wrapped into the best memory box they could have ever made. They dressed in their biggest smiles, put on their unmatching tops, and said cheese. The last traditional photo was created and this chapter of their lives was sealed.
The Grand Finale
Fast forward to 2020. With modern technology and a lot of ambition, the famous three gathered once more. They didn't have to strike a pose in front of the camera and didn't have to worry if they had the same top on or not. A video on YouTube features this amazing project and reflects how simple things, like photographs, can come together to create a masterpiece in motion.