Sextuplets Family Struggling With Bills

The parents of Alabama's first sextuplets avoided foreclosure on their home Monday after relatives donated nearly $1,500 to help cover $5,000 in delinquent house payments.

The sextuplets - two girls and four boys - were born July 7 to Diamond and Christopher Harris. The couple got behind on their mortgage payments after Diamond Harris was forced to quit working because of complications during pregnancy.

The family was notified last month that their brick home would be sold Monday in a courthouse auction. But $1,440 from relatives stalled the sale, said Lawrence Cooper, the family's attorney. An account also was established at AmSouth Bank to accept donations prompted by news coverage of the family's plight, said bank spokesman Rick Swagler.

Christopher Harris said the family has been living off his $29,000 teacher salary and earnings as a part-time tutor.

"Our prayer is to stay in our home," he said. "We're putting a Band-Aid on a really, really bad situation."

Three of the couple's babies have come home, and three remain in the hospital. The couple also has a 7-year-old son.

Insurance has paid most of the cost of the pregnancy and births. The family also has received donations of items including a van, diapers, food and furniture.