So many people have taken an interest in the lives of conjoined twins, Abby and Brittany Hansel who shot to fame in 1996 after appearing on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Abby and Brittany are not yet married, contrary to several rumors that have made the rounds about their love and relationship lives. At the time of writing, the twins have not admitted to being in any romantic relationship with anyone.
Abby And Brittany Hope To Marry And Have Kids Someday
Though there have been several rumors indicating that Abby and Brittany are married, they are still single. However, in 2006, the conjoined twins said in an interview that they hoped to date, marry, and have children someday. They did not say much about the dynamics of a hypothetical future relationship given their special makeup. Moreover, there are no records of their present or past love lives.
Other Interesting Facts About Abby And Brittany You Should Know
1. Doctors predicted they would not survive the night after they were born
Abby and Brittany were originally born as Abigail Loraine Hensel and Brittany Lee Hensel on March 7, 1990. When the 34 years old conjoined twins were born, doctors told their parents they most likely wouldn’t survive the night as one in 40,000 twin births are conjoined and just one percent of those make it to the age of one.
However, Abby and Brittany defied medical odds and thrived through an interesting childhood to adulthood.
Meanwhile, the conjoined twins have two heads, separate hearts, stomachs, and spines. At birth, they had a rudimentary arm between the bases of their necks attached to a shoulder blade at the back but it was removed, leaving the shoulder blade.
Abby and her sister live normal lives although they share one body. Abby controls the right side and Brittany the left. By coordinating their efforts, they walk, run, swim, play volleyball and the piano, and ride a bicycle normally. Also, they can type on a computer keyboard and drive a car.
Some of the twins’ clothes are altered by tailors so that they have two separate necklines, to indicate their individuality. They usually have separate meals, but sometimes share a single meal for the sake of convenience.
2. They are both graduates of Bethel University
Abby and Brittany both graduated from high school in 2008. Afterward, they enrolled at Bethel University in Arden Hills, Minnesota, majoring in education. They initially considered pursuing different courses but the volume of extra coursework could not let them. Abby and Brittany bagged a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2012. A year after graduation from college, they became teachers in 2013. They continue to teach fifth grade at Sunnyside Elementary in New Brighton, Minnesota.
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3. Their chances of survival would have been slim if they had been surgically separated
After the conjoined twins were born, their parents resisted the urge to surgically separate them. Moreover, they were told by doctors that it would be difficult for the twins to survive the operation. In the coming years, their parents said that the conjoined twins were better off conjoined than if they were separated.
4. Abby and Brittany dislike being photographed by strangers
The conjoined twins seriously dislike being stared at or photographed by strangers while going about their private lives. They have done all their best to lead normal lives and they don’t want anything that will make them feel inferior. However, they are always willing to grant interviews and appear on shows and documentaries for people who want to know more about their lives.
5. A Quick Look at their TV Career
At six years old, Abby and Brittany were featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show on April 8 and 29, 1996. Afterward, they were featured on the cover of Life under the caption One Body, Two Souls. In 2002, they appeared in Joined for Life, a TV documentary by Advanced Medical Productions, distributed on the Discovery Health Channel and a 2003 follow-up, Joined at Birth.
The conjoined twins have also appeared in other documentaries by ABC TV, Extraordinary People, and Advanced Medical. They also starred in the TLC reality TV show, Abby & Brittany which was shown in the US from August to October 2012.
Abby and Brittany’s filmography
- Abby & Brittany – 2012
- Extraordinary People: The Twins Who Share a Body – 2007
- Joined for Life: Abby and Brittany Turn 16 – 2006
- Joined for Life – 2003
- The Oprah Winfrey Show – 1996
