They’re the only female conjoined twins in the entire world with their condition and their parents were told they wouldn’t live long past birth.
But the Hensel sisters Abby and Brittany from ,not only defied the odds, but have lived a remarkable life since captivating the world in 1996 when they appeared on The Winfrey Show and the cover of Life Magazine.
Now it’s emerged that in 2021, Abby secretly married nurse and Army veteran Josh Bowling, according to public records obtained by Today.
But when the Hensel twins were born on March 7, 1990, doctors warned their parents, Patty, a registered nurse, and Mike, a carpenter and landscaper, that they were unlikely to survive the night.
It was a prediction proved wildly wrong. From attending university to starring in their show and becoming teachers, Abby and Brittany have achieved an incredible amount in the past 34 years.
The Hensel twins are the rarest form of conjoined twins, the result of a single fertilised egg that failed to fully separate in the womb.
They have two spines (which join at the pelvis), two hearts, two oesophagi, two stomachs, three kidneys, two gall bladders, four lungs (two of which are joined), one liver, one ribcage, a shared circulatory system and partially shared nervous systems.
From the waist down, all organs, including the intestine, bladder and reproductive organs, are shared.
Although Brittany – the left twin – can’t feel anything on the right side of the body and Abigail – the right twin – can’t feel anything on her left, instinctively their limbs move as if coordinated by one person, even when typing e-mails on the computer.
Just one set of twins in every 40,000 is born connected in some way to each other and only 1 per cent of those survive beyond the first year.
Abby and Brittany defeated the odds and have led a fulfilled life brimming with impressive achievements.
Here, FEMAIL reveals a glimpse into the incredible life of conjoined twins Abby and Brittany Hensel.
CHILDHOOD
When growing up, the pair had very different personalities and tastes. Abigail, the feisty, stubborn one, liked orange juice for breakfast, while Brittany, the joker of the family, would only touch milk.
They also stunned doctors with their astonishing co-ordination while playing the piano, with Abigail taking the right-hand parts and Brittany the left. They enjoyed sports such as bowling, volleyball, cycling, softball and swimming.
In displays of their individuality, it was not uncommon for the twins to go out in a specially made top with two different necklines – to reflect their unique tastes – and leggings with each leg a contrasting colour and a different shoe on each foot.
Their mother Patty, a registered nurse, thought that their unusual circumstances may have led to problems.
‘I don’t know what would happen if they got pulled over for speeding. Would they each get a ticket or just Abby because it’s her foot on the accelerator?’
Yet Patty and Mike never once considered having the twins separated, through fear that one or both might die or be left with such severe disabilities their quality of life would be compromised and could no longer enjoy all the activities they love.
They would each have just one arm and one leg and be confined to a wheelchair.
Patty had no idea she was carrying twins until the birth at the local hospital where she worked
‘The paediatrician said my babies were together but they had two heads,’ she recalled in 2006. ‘It was blunt, but completely accurate.
‘From the first time we saw them, we thought they were beautiful.
‘I kissed Abigail and then Brittany and gave them a hug. It’s like that every time I pick them up from school, two kisses and one hug for the most beautiful children in the world.’
Mike and Patty brought up the twins and younger brother Dakota and sister Morgan away from the media spotlight in a small midwestern farming community of 300 people, where their families had lived for generations.
Growing up, the girls seldom argued and got on brilliantly, despite their different personalities with Abigail always wanting to be the leader and liking ‘to rule the whole house’, according to her mother.
They helped each other out constantly. One would scratch an itch the other could not reach or hold her hand still so the other could count during a math’s lesson.
When Brittany was ill with pneumonia and couldn’t keep the medicine down, Abigail volunteered to take it in the hope of making her twin better.
And on their 16th birthday they passed their driving test, a mind-boggling feat of teamwork with each twin using one arm to control the steering wheel.
Only once have the twins talked about separation – in childhood – when Abigail became bored and restless after Brittany fell ill with pneumonia and was confined to bed.
She started to suggest being separated from her sister, but when Brittany began to cry Abigail reassured her that everything was fine and that they’d never be parted.
Television Fame
Abby and Brittany first introduced themselves to the world on an April 1996 episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show.
That same month, the twins were featured on the cover of TIME with the head: ‘One Body, Two Souls’. The article outlined the twins’ daily routines, lifestyles, and personalities.
Elsewhere, Abby and Brittany also appeared in the 2003 Channel 5 show Extraordinary People and an ABC documentary Joined for Life.
Despite a slew of previous media appearances, it was their eponymous reality TV show with TLC that catapulted the pair to fame.
They allowed the cameras into their private world to share milestones in their lives, including high school, graduating from Bethel University in Minnesota, celebarating their 22nd birthday and job hunting.
They went from students to young professionals via a summer travelling through Europe with their friends on the show.
The series, which is currently streaming on Prime, showed the world how they navigated their teenage and young adult years as conjoined twins.
Further Education And Career
Despite dealing with challenging physical circumstances, Abby and Brittany prioritized school growing up and went on to flourish in the education system.
The twins graduated from high school in 2008 but decided to continue their academic journey and enrolled for university that same year.
Opting for a school close to home, Abby and Brittany attended Bethel University, which is in Arden Hills, Minnesota.
When choosing their major, the pair explored all options before settling on Education.
It wasn’t a decision taken lightly, according to their reality TV show, Abby and Brittany.
While they initially thought about picking different majors, they found the idea of extra coursework and class timetables limiting, and so they settled on a career in teaching.
It was a decision that paid off. Now, Abby and Brittany work as teachers together at Sunnyside Elementary in New Brighton, Minnesota.
Speaking on their reality show, Geri, a teacher at the school and supervisor to the twins, said: ‘We had concerns about how the children would react.’
‘Initially, they were thinking about having an education major with different focuses, and I think physically it was really impossible for them to take twice as many classes as the average student and then try and get the homework done.’
‘For their [teaching] license, they both applied as two separate people for their own teaching license, but obviously they need to have a job where they can physically be in the same space.’
The twins added: ‘For the most part when we’re teaching, we definitely take a collaborative team approach.’
Abby Ties The Knot
During Abby and Brittany’s childhood, their father Mike said he was sure the girls would get married in the future.
According to public records obtained by TODAY, , a nurse and army veteran in 2021.
Abby’s relationship with Josh, who is a father-of-one, has gone under the radar until now, with the twins leading a quieter life out of the spotlight in the past 10 years.
On account @, a recently posted showing off Abby’s big day – and a account titled Britt And Abby also featured a of the happy couple.
For the ceremony, which records revealed took place back in 2021, the twins sported a sleeveless wedding dress with lace trim detailing while the groom wore a grey suit.
A video thought to have been captured by one of their guests and shared on social media showed the twins and the groom enjoying a dance during the big day.
Another showed Josh’s daughter sporting a floral bridesmaid’s dress and walking down the aisle, holding a sign that read: ‘Daddy… Here Comes Your Bride’.
It’s likely the father-of-one, who works with hospice patients, and the twins live with one another, with Josh’s Facebook page showing the family – including his young daughter – enjoying hikes in nature, ice cream and dressing up for Halloween.