When it comes to engaging people around the world, few people have the edge over the Hensel Twins, Abigail “Abby” and Brittany Hensel. The fascinating conjoined twins shared their compelling story on their reality television series on TLC, “Abby & Brittany.” The show follows them graduating college, looking for jobs, and traveling through Europe.

Abby and Brittany are the perfect people to illustrate how you make lemonade from lemons that life throws at you. They never “suffered” from their rare condition but embraced it. They’re twins. They’re terrific. And they’re teaching the world something about living life to the fullest!

Like Two Peas In A Pod

Despite being medical marvels, the girls were individuals in their own right. Of course, they had many challenges and managed to live full, active lives. The twins had double the organs on the top half of their body—two hearts, two stomachs, and four lungs, but they shared the bottom half of the body.

Each twin controls their side of the body, so they still have a bit of autonomy, but they have to work in tandem for even the smallest of tasks and actions. People are usually itching to know how the girls would perform private tasks like dating or using the washroom.

Next: Putting their foot down…

“No” to Separation Surgery and Becoming Medical Subjects

There have been cases where conjoined twins have been separated before and have gone on to live separate lives. Still, with Abby and Brittany, because of their unique anatomy and shared vital organs, this was eventually ruled out by both the doctors and the twins’ parents, as they couldn’t risk losing the girls.

A few medical professionals still wouldn’t leave the family alone and tried to persuade them to let the Hensel sisters become subjects for medical testing. Thankfully, the parents shut this down, as they wanted their twins to have as ordinary a childhood as possible.

Next: Behind two strong girls stands an even stronger family.

It’s All ‘Relative’

Abby and Brittany grew up in a loving, warm, and tight-knit family in Minnesota. Patty Hensel, their mom, was a seasoned registered nurse, while their father, Mike, was a skilled carpenter. After having Abby and Brittany, they had two more children, Morgan and Dakota. The family of six was a happy bunch.

We can understand everyone’s curiosity, so let’s quickly answer that question. No, the younger Hensel siblings were not born with the same anomaly as their older sisters and never developed any complications later. Because the twins enjoyed such a happy family life, they grew up wanting to have and raise their own family one day.

Next: Dressing dilemmas.