The newly graduated Whitman Hanson class of 2019 is sending hundreds of motivated, bright students into their next stages of life’s adventure. For two families, that adventure has already included being part of a set of triplets.
The Express recently sat down separately with The Davis and Trongone triplets the first double set of triplets to graduate in the same year from Whitman-Hanson.
Ryan Trongone and his sisters Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ and Madison ‘Maddie’ of Whitman along with the Davis family of Hanson —Daniel ‘Dan’ and his sisters Ashley and Kathleen (not necessarily in birth order) celebrated graduation Friday, May 31. However they posed in birth order in their graduation photos.
Each of the triplets has unique personalities and are endlessly busy like average teens, but one thing they all agreed on was sitting and posing for photos needed to be in birth order. It may have been partially so their parents didn’t mix them up but both sets laughed about whether intentional or not they all approved it was a triplet thing.
Even though they are used to coming in a set they all articulated they were raised with self-sufficiently in mind and were encouraged by their parents to succeed independently of one another.
College prep: Ryan Trongone will dorm at Worcester Polytechnic Institute where he is most interested in the engineering program with a possible minor in computer science. He will be playing football there in the fall.
“I’m so excited,” he said.
It will be a tremendous change from living with his two sisters and having a mom who works from home. The transition is filled with emotions of anticipation and change.
“I feel it will be nice at first but then I will probably miss them,” said Ryan.
Maddie and Gabby are both attending, but rooming separately, at Salve Regina College in Newport, R.I. It will be a huge modification as they shared a bedroom through early high school.
Maddie is double majoring in teaching and special education. Gabby will be in pre-med and plans to also major in biology as part of the Pell Program.
The girls were surprised at first as neither knew the other was interested in the same school.
Currently they have similar shared groups of friends. They see this as helpful and supportive as they jointly form new freshman friendships.
Ashley Davis will be residing at The University of Mass at Boston and will be pursuing a nursing career.
Daniel is undeclared but is aiming towards working with numbers- his strong point. Kathleen will pursue biologic-research in a lab setting among her long-term goals. They will commute to Bridgewater State University in the fall.
How do you feel about separating for colleges?
“It will be weird at first and I expect it to be a hard adjustment. I am not sure how I will feel, “said Ashley.
The Davis girls excelled at dance with Ashley also doing cheer for many years. They attend Manomet School of Dance — their aunt owns the studio where they have danced for 15 years. Kathleen will remain as a student teacher. Having that performing connection has also been a strong bond for them.
Ryan is anticipating a good balanced taste of independence and being close enough to Hanson when he needs some home cooking and family time.
“I will be able to drive home but far enough that my mom can’t make my lunch every day,” he laughed.
They also sympathize with their mom having an empty nest. Being one of three means always having someone to talk to and having someone to hang out with the same goes for the parents having a full house as soon as the car pulls up in the driveway.
Sharing: Although most siblings do rival one another and quickly learn that nothing is just for YOU when you are one of multiples. They all seemed to view sharing as a gift (most of the time) They are looking forward to a joint graduation party. Like all multiples they shared a birthday but their mom always got them their own favorite, special birthday cakes inviting friends and family to celebrate. Singing Happy Birthday three times may have been only when they were younger.
A positive for both families all the bathrooms will be freed up — enough said.
“Car sharing will be easier for us.” Daniel Davis said laughing.
The Davis girls still share a room and Daniel shares a room with his younger brother.
Both sets of triplets shared a classroom through middle school when teachers and classes began to rotate preparing for high school. The upside of sharing came in handy when forming friendships as most singletons understood their families automatically came as a group… it arranged friends for all of them.
The Trongones said they still distribute themselves amongst the same groups of friends and live close enough too many; even cousins who were as close as siblings to them.
The Davis’ travel in different social circles but their friends all get along with one another.
Comfort: Being one of three means always having someone to talk to and having someone to hang out with.
We never have to be by ourselves or if you had a nightmare there was always someone’s bed to jump in, said Maddie.
Fast facts
Do triplets feel one another’s pain and finish one another’s sentences?
Yes and no. Both sets of girls answered at the same time, giggled and made similar statements as they reminisced with the Express.
They again answer in unison so the Express would say ‘yes’ they finish one another’s sentences.
But the boys in both families disagreed with a ‘no’.
Healthiest eaters? The Davis girls playfully ganged up on the Daniel. Who was most likely to have Wendy’s or fast food in his hand.
“Yes. I am happy with a hamburger and fries. Kathleen loves apples, and Ashley’s favorite food is an avocado on toast,” he said.
Both sets of triplets played several sports with the Trongone’s achieving multiple awards and accolades for numerous sports throughout their high school careers.
Who is the smartest? Although all three made National Honor Society … Ryan Trongone was quick to claim the title.
“I’m the smartest. They (my sisters) might be mad at these answers,” he laughed.
Maddie is the most laid back with Gabby definitely the most outgoing, which was agreed by all three.
Favorite food? They all agreed that dad’s culinary skill and home cooking will be the hardest to leave with family time around the table.
The healthiest eater? Gabby! But sister Maddie demures.
“I think I am the healthiest eater, said Maddie,” but Gabby is definitely most motivated to exercise on her own. That was settled.
Most likely to be late: Gabby Trongone was given this title by her siblings. She refuted the comments stating she has the ability to get up later and still be on time to both work and school.
“I am always on time … they think I am late,” said Gabby.
She also won the title of Senior Girl: Most Likely to Break – the – Ice in the yearbook citing her outgoing personality.
Roles: The Davis’ admitted as a group they feel they can be predictable, however, only to one another and their mother who has raised them with their younger brother Jeffrey, who is now 14.
The roles are distributed evenly Kathleen is the communicator and is the most organized.
Ashley has the most fun and humorous. She called herself “light hearted.”
Where will you be in five years? Daniel foresees himself involved in a career using math — his strong suit
As a commuter next fall his plan to stay home and help his mom and brother. His goal is to save money while majoring in something he will love. He has been doing flooring trade work with a neighbor and also works part time.
In five years a self-proclaimed city lover Ashley hopes to be working in a pediatrics program in a hospital setting. She gained respect for and influence from the pediatricians and specialists who helped her younger brother who has a chronic illness. She feels that is a strong contributing factor in her career goals.
Kathleen would like to go into a graduate program and hopes to get her masters. She is an AP student in science and said she would encourage girls who excel in science.
“I have always wanted to look at microbiology and genetics programs. As we see more job opportunities involving sciences opening up for both genders- if it is something they are interested in -they shouldn’t feel held back by that blockade that was there. It has been broken,” said Kathleen.
She felt her teachers encouraged her when she was younger and science was introduced to her in a positive way allowing her to stay interested and develop her strengths.
Who gets along the best? Ryan said he gets along better with Madison because the two are both very laid back.
Daniel felt they all got along and appreciated one another as they matured. The Davis’ felt they got along better now than at any other stage in their life.
Most cherished moments? Ashley and Kathleen called their prom the most cherished memory in their lives.
Ryan said he will always cherish their senior prom after seeing his sisters all dressed up and having fun.
Gabby cherishes her family time and will miss being close with Cousin Mike who is like their second brother.
“We will miss getting together with our friends and our best friend Sammi Smith. We all grew up together and right across the street. It will be different they (my siblings) are my best friends” added Maddie.
Gabby felt the best family times and memories in her childhood were spent in New Hampshire with her dad’s home cooking. Maddie’s most current, cherished memories are from a recent family trip to Florida in April.
“It was a great family vacation before college,” she said.
They enthusiastically agreed they will be making more memories together and independently in their next chapters of what life brings.
They all decided on one thing for sure that no matter where they are, or where they go in their adventures one thing will not change. . .
They will always come as an extraordinary set.