The+triplets+show+off+their+contrasting+college+student+IDs+during+Thanksgiving+break.

courtesy of Melissa Russo

The triplets show off their contrasting college student IDs during Thanksgiving break.

The Russo Red River rivalry

December 9, 2021

Both Bella and Bridget drove to Dallas to meet for the OU and UT football game.

They didn’t get tickets—they were sold out by the time the siblings got there—but they wanted to catch up and Dallas was stationed perfectly in the middle between them.

Before this weekend, Bella had never really followed football. But now she had a personal stake in it and after seeing that UT had a chance, she was invested.

Bella was the only one cheering for UT in their group. Bridget had gone with her OU friends and was celebrating with them.

“I couldn’t share in the win, but I was still happy for them,” Bella said. “But [the loss] still hurt.”

Afterwards they called Will to talk about it. A&M had just won a game against previously undefeated No. 1 Alabama, and being in the corps, he got a front row seat to it. Even Bella got to celebrate despite the loss.

“Will and Bridget celebrated together this weekend,” she said. “I was so happy for them because I was just crazy that they won, and Will was in the center of the action when they won. It was so excited about it, and he called me and told me all about it. And so we like to celebrate the win together.”

That said, the rivalry hasn’t come between their relationship at all.

I couldn’t share in the win, but I was still happy for them. But [the loss] still hurt.

— UT freshman Bella Russo on being with her sister, OU freshman Bridget Russo and her friends in Dallas for the 2021 Red River Rivalry

Their first allegiance will always be with each other, not to their schools.

“It’s awesome,” Bella said. “It’s insanely fun being the same age and having the same experience. The weird thing about being in college is not seeing them every day. But they’re not too far away.”

After growing up side by side for the last 18 years, it was hard for the triplets to separate. 

All three siblings struggled with this. As the farthest away from home, Bridget even wanted to transfer for a while.

“I was super sad I had to leave them,” Bridget said, “I hated moving away from home. I miss them.”

And Bella, in the same hometown that she grew up in, felt this separation just as strong. 

What struck her especially was the fact that they might never live under the same roof again.  

But Bella also knows that they are triplets, and after realizing that they are stuck with her, she felt a little better.

“We are going to be siblings forever,” Bella said, “We are always going to see each other. I will force them to hang out with me. you know, they’re stuck with me. We’re stuck together. And realizing that helped a lot.”

That said, she is nostalgic of times when they were together.

“Whenever I call them and they say something really funny to me, I’m like ‘Dang, I missed that,’” Bella said. “I miss them whenever I see them and, you know, I’m reminded of how much fun we have together. But we stay in touch. And I think that helps that we stay in touch and keep up with each other.”

Bella is sad to see her siblings go their separate ways, but she can’t help being happy for them.

“It’s fun to see them live their own lives,” Bella said. “We’ve always been so connected. And now they’re really going off and doing their own things. And that’s so fun to watch. I’m going to be here and watch them do their own thing and cheer them on.”

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