It was not that common for Siamese twins to actually survive in the 1990s. Therefore, when Abby and Brittany Hensel were born in the same year, they became an overnight sensation.
Just when people started thinking that both of them have started leading a normal life, they made a huge announcement. The news that Abby and Brittany broke in front of the world, shocked the whole world!
The Day They Were Born
Abby and Brittany Hensel were born in Carver County, Minnesota on March 7th, 1990. It was a rather fateful day for their family because they were expecting two healthy babies ...
When the sisters were born, the doctors realized that they were attached to each other in a rather unbelievable way. Siamese twins like Abby and Brittany are also known as dicephalic paragabus twins which means they share one body.
Chance Of Survival
The Hensel twins are lucky that they survived. Siamese twins are very rare and the numbers are a testimony to this fact. Reports indicate that about 1 in 189,000 babies is a Siamese twin.
What is even more astonishing is the fact that only 11% percent of this already small population is born dicephalic paragabus. It is safe to assume that the chance of Abby and Brittany being born was extremely small.
Unique Anatomy
The unique anatomy of their bodies has baffled many doctors across the globe. The Hensel twins have their own upper bodies as they have two stomachs, two hearts, and four lungs.
But they have to share their lower body as they only have one reproductive system, one large intestine and a shared liver.
Different Body Temperatures
The Hensel twins also have different body temperatures. In their TLC reality show, Brittany described the split between their bodies as an imaginary red line that runs right through the middle.
During summers, Brittany often feels warm and sweaty. But the same case isn’t with Abby as she, in general, feels totally fine.
Team Work
Abby and Brittany are capable of moving all of their body part so this means that each one controls one arm and one leg. Ever since they were babies, they had to work together as a team to be able to crawl and get walking.
Now, they can swim, run, brush their hair and even drive side by side. They both had to pass a driving test and guess what? Both of them passed it with flying colours! But how do they actually drive?
How Do They Drive?
Each sister has to control their own half of their shared body. In Brittany’s own words - “When we drive, Abby takes control of the gas and brakes.
We both steer and I take control.” The sisters are pretty confident about their driving skills. They believe that they are good chauffeurs.
Different Choices
They might share one body but from the inside, they are two different individuals. “We definitely have different styles. Brittany prefers neutral colours, pearls and that kind of stuff.” Abby explained in an interview which the twins gave to BBC.
“I prefer wearing colourful clothes,” Abby adds. Moreover, Brittany is afraid of heights but Abby is not. On the other hand, while Brittany likes art, Abby is more interested in science.
Private Lives
The Hensel sisters are leading a normal life and they speak openly about it. But there still are some departments that they don’t like to talk about.
Take relationships for instance. When it comes to their private lives, Abby and Brittany like to keep their mouth shut.
Biggest Weakness
Despite receiving unwanted stares, the two have travelled the world. They might have their own separate passport but they share one seat on the aeroplane. Their biggest weakness appears when they land somewhere.
Abby and Brittany don’t like the way some people react after seeing them. They have explained multiple times that it never makes them feel good when random people take pictures of them.
Their Good Friend
On a brighter side, the Hensel twins are always surrounded by friends who watch out for the sisters. Erin Junkans is one of the closest friends that the Hensel sisters have. “I always want to be sure that they’re safe.
I make sure people don’t take pictures and always watch out for how the twins react to how busy a place is. If they ever get overwhelmed we just have to go somewhere else.” Erin tells.
Their Mother
BBC also interviewed their mother Patty. She told BBC that like every other mother, she just wants her kids to be happy and healthy. She also believes that they’ll be successful in whatever they choose to do.
Just like the rest of the world, their mother is also curious about their future. She had no idea what the future had in store for her daughters.
Fame Knocks At Their Door
Because of how they were born and their way of living, the Hensel twins have become rather popular. When they were just six, they did an interview on The Oprah Winfrey Show.
Around the same time, they also got featured on the cover of Life magazine. Come 2002 and they became an integral part of a documentary called Joined For Life.
The Best Option
Abby and Brittany also went abroad to study at Bethel University. Since they had to share the same field, both of them decided to get diplomas in teaching.
Although they wanted to specialize in different fields, they realized extra courses wouldn’t work. In the end, the Hensel sisters decided that working in an elementary school would be the best option.
Their First Job
In their show, Abby and Brittany broke the exciting news. In a clip from the episode that aired in 2012, the Hensel twins can be seen yelling in unison: “We have a job!” The first job they got also reflected upon the study that they had done.
“We’re math specialists for 4th and 5th grade so we have two math classes,” they explained in an interview. It is a part-time job and they wish to acquire a full-time job soon.
Talent With Kids
Their mother Patty knew that teaching was the right choice for her daughters. “They’ve always had a talent for connecting with children and they’ve always felt drawn to it.
This may have started from their fascination with the twins but once their basic questions had been answered they were still drawn to Abby and Brittany.” She explained in an interview.
How Did Their Interview Go?
Even their new boss Mr Good had an idea that twins would turn out to be good teachers. Although 175 people had applied for the job, Mr Good and his peers knew right away that the twins were the right people for the job.
In Mr Good’s own words - “After the interview, I said goodbye to them but before I could even sit down, one of my colleagues yelled: ‘Run after them! Give them the job!’”
Salary For One Person
With help from the HR department, Abby and Brittany both got their own salary. To make things convenient, they decided that they would split the salary for the part-time job. “We knew right away that we’d only get one salary.
We do the work as one person,” Abby admits. But on the other hand, Brittany believes that they’re more useful than just one employee. She said, “One of us can teach and the other can answer questions about the material in the class.”
Full-time Jobs In Store
The Hensel twins are fine with their part-time job and are waiting to gain more experience. Mr Good has already revealed that he is already thinking about offering them a full-time position at some point.
“We’ve sent out letters to let others know that we plan on reintroducing the twins at the school’s open days,” he says.
Good Role Models
According to Mr. Good, Abby and Brittany would be great role models for the class. “I don’t think that there’s anything that the twins wouldn’t try or couldn’t do if they wanted.
To teach kids – especially those with learning disabilities – it’s very special. And that can only be done by someone who knows who can lead by example.” He said in an interview.
The Big Announcement!
Back in December 2017, the twins announced in Touch Weekly that they’re now teaching fifth grade together.
This was the big announcement that they made and we are certainly happy for them!