Greenport triplets depart on separate journeys for the first time after graduation
Summer ended for Sean McCabe on Tuesday.
The recent Greenport High School graduate recently enlisted in the United States Army as a common engineer and began his boot camp training in Fort Benning, Ga., this week.
A major milestone in itself, the transition also marks the first time Sean, 18, will be away from his sisters, Kathleen and Emma.
At a time when many graduates begin a new path in life, the change takes on greater meaning for the McCabe siblings who have been together since they were born only seconds apart in April 2000.
“It’s exciting and sad and weird,” Kathleen said. “We’re used to having each other around and we’ve gotten closer this year.”
Not only will Sean, the youngest by a minute, be separated from his sisters — who are identical twins — but Emma and Kathleen will be going their separate ways as well.
Emma, who was born first, will remain in Greenport and attend Suffolk County Community College in the fall. She said she’s currently undecided about her major, but is hoping to pursue criminal justice.
Kathleen, born 30 seconds after Emma, will head to Nashville, Tenn. to live with their mother and pursue a career in nursing. She attended BOCES this year and is qualified to work as a medical assistant.
“It’s the first time we’re going in different directions,” Emma said. “Even in the summer we all went to camp together. Now we’re actually all separating.”
The triplets were born in Chicago and moved 11 times before ultimately settling in Greenport in sixth grade.
During their time on the North Fork, the three each participated in numerous activities, sometimes together and sometimes individually.
Kathleen was captain of the volleyball team as a senior and played basketball, soccer and ran track throughout high school. She also played the clarinet in band and was a member of NJROTC for four years.
Emma played volleyball. She was also involved in Shakespeare in the Park, performing in shows the first two years of the festival as well as acting in the school’s plays. She also played the flute in band.
Sean said he played nearly every sport during his six years at Greenport, including soccer, football, wrestling and track, the latter of which was his primary focus. He was a sprinter and triple jumper. He also sang in the school’s chorus and a cappella group.
The siblings said they’ve enjoyed the small town community feel Greenport offers, especially after moving around so much when they were younger, and will miss it when they leave.
What they’ll miss most, however, is each other.
“We all share everything,” Kathleen said. “We’ve never been self concerned. We know how to work for ourselves. It’s different than being an only child or having younger siblings. It’s always been us three … we know when something’s up with each other even if we don’t see each other.”
Photo caption: From left: Kathleen, Sean and Emma McCabe. The triplets will live apart for the first time this summer as Sean heads to Army boot camp in Georgia and Kathleen to Nashville, Tenn. (Nicole Smith photo)
