Maliyah and Kendra Herrin were different from the rest of the twins. Unlike others, they were conjoined and shared many body parts with each other.
After many years of living one life in one body, they were ‘notoriously’ separated from each other. They are leading different lives now. So, here's how they look today.
Conjoined Sisters
February 26, 2006, was a rather fateful day for the Herrin family as they welcomed two new members to their family. However, things quickly started looking grim, as the parents were faced with an unforeseen reality ...
When Maliyah and Kendra were born, they were conjoined. They shared a lot of body parts with each other including a large intestine, bladder, liver, and single kidney. No one could have imagined the reaction of the doctors and the parents on seeing something so unnatural ...
Abort The Twins
Their parents knew about their situation long before they were actually born, all thanks to modern-day technology. Almost every report that came out, suggested the same that the girls didn’t have the organs needed to survive on their own outside of Erin's womb.
When Erin was pregnant, she used to receive countless suggestions regarding what to do. One doctor even suggested she abort the twins altogether!
A Surgery That Lasted For A Lifetime!
Their parents decided to go ahead with the surgery anyway because if weren’t separated, it would have made their lives even more difficult than it already was. At the age of 4, the Herrin twins made headlines when they became the first set of twins sharing a kidney to be separated.
Facing a lot of odds, the 26-hour procedure was a total success. Another challenge lay ahead: now they had to learn how to adjust to living with their separate bodies.
After The Surgery
Later on, when the Herrin twins gave an interview to Health magazine, they revealed some key details about how they felt right after their surgery.
“We don’t really remember the pain of the surgery, but we do know that we recovered quickly,” Maliyah recalled. “Almost two weeks after the surgery, we were already jumping around our beds.” She added.
Their Current Life
Their current life indicates that both the sisters are now living quite a normal life. They are 19-year-old now and living in Salt Lake City, Utah. They have become strong and confident, just like any other girl of their age.
They have also learned how to live in separate bodies. Each sister now has one leg and they have learned to manage with that as well!
Don’t Be Afraid
Just because of the unusual circumstances of their birth, the Herrin twins get a lot of stares from people. Many people walk up to them to take pictures of them and not in a good way, mind you! But the Herrin sisters have arrived at a very simple conclusion to deal with this madness.
As Kendra mentioned in an interview “Don’t be afraid to talk to someone. Don’t stare at them. Ask them if it’s OK to ask what happened. But be respectful about it.”
A Strong Network
The Herrin girls are familiar with the notion of bullying someone who has a certain disability. They also know about another set of formerly conjoined twins who get hassled for having one leg each.
However, their own experience hasn’t been that bad. Since they grew up in their neighbourhood and attend the same ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they have a strong network of friends.
They Move Fast!
Both the sisters are pretty comfortable about speaking their minds when it comes to their physical limitations. They move fast! They use walkers when they are at school or elsewhere.
When they are home, they scoot on wheeled stools as you see in a doctor’s office. To make them more physically independent, they have had many operations so far!
Kidney Transplant
Since they shared a kidney that Maliyah accessed through their shared liver, it was evident that she would need a kidney transplant.
Their mom donated one of hers after they were separated. Maliyah had a second kidney transplant in May 2018. Their list of surgeries doesn’t end here. In fact, it is just the tip of the iceberg.
Maliyah’s Surgeries
Maliyah also had to go through heart surgery. Since their backs weren’t straight, both girls have had surgeries to place and later replace titanium rods.
As the girls grew, more surgeries had to be done to adjust those rods. They have had a rather tough life so far but their smiles are enough to let people know that they are strong and confident.
Kendra’s Surgeries
Kendra too had to go through a lot of surgeries just like her twin sister. She had to go through surgery to put a plate in her femur to straighten her leg.
It was done so that she could point her leg more forward and doctors later put in a bigger plate. This was unpredictable and it reminded them of the time when Maliyah broke the rod in her back hopping on her one leg at a bridal shower.
Orange Socks
To put it simply, Orange Socks is an initiative advocating for those with disabilities and their families. They also help in connecting them to resources and each other.
The Herrin twins are considering making a video about bullying and inclusion for the same initiative. They are figuring out the details of that.
Talkative Kendra
They might be twins but they also differ a lot from each other. Although they both engage in conversations during an interview, it is Kendra who does most of the talking.
They both laugh a lot and Maliyah sometimes adds details or fills in gaps. Kendra often speaks in sentences that start with “we.” To us, that is super cute and we are sure that you might also think that way too!
Social Media Following
They want to inspire other people as well, who are disabled and suffer from a lack of confidence. They have attracted a large audience on their Facebook page.
They make cheerful and lively YouTube videos as well. Maliyah might be shy in person but she is animated on camera. In most of the scenarios, she waits for someone else to start a conversation.
Looming Adulthood
As adulthood is looming over their head, the Herrin twins look forward to increasing independence with both excitement and a touch of nervousness. “Being able to be on our own, just like any teenagers. ... No parents!”
Kendra exclaimed with joy in an interview. “But also different because I don’t feel like we are as independent as other teenagers. We have the equipment; it’s heavy lifting.” She added.
Differences In Opinions
They might look a bit alike, but they have different tastes. Maliyah has always loved the yellow colour but on the other hand, Kendra favours a blue shade. They also have different opinions when it comes to food.
While Maliyah likes spaghetti, Kendra doesn’t. At all! “I think it’s just a sibling thing. We definitely do the sibling thing where we fight about nothing.” Kendra explained in an interview.
Future Plans
When it comes to the Herrin twins, the future has always seemed a bit out of control. But they have started to formulate plans. Kendra is already certified as a phlebotomist and may look for a job in that field.
She is up for the job, maybe because she’s had so many blood draws herself. Talking about Maliyah, she is yet to figure out what she wants to do in her life.
Kendra Drives Now!
Kendra has also managed to get herself a driving license!
She says that other drivers scare her. Kendra’s license has increased their independence even more.
Their Mom’s Prediction
When the girls were 4 and were about to have their separation, their mom predicted they would have full and happy lives.
She also predicted that they would make their own choices. Looking at what they have accomplished so far, their mom’s prediction certainly came true.
An Inspiration
Despite facing all the odds, the Herrin sisters have proved to the world that anything can be achieved if you have a courageous heart and a determined mind.
They surely are an inspiration to all of us!