WORLD’S
FAMOUS-CONJOINED-TWINS
Contest Directions: Conjoined twins are two people whose bodies are
joined together. Usually they want to separate, since it's impossible to make
independent decisions as you are joined with your relative for the rest of your
life. In other words it's like a marriage in Arkansas.
CONJOINED TWINS ABIGAIL AND BRITTANY HENSEL SHORT HISTORY
School, shopping, sunbathing ...
normal activities in an extraordinary world
The first amazing thing conjoined
twins Abigail and Brittany Hensel did was to survive after doctors told their
parents they wouldn't last more than a few hours after being born.
Now 22-years-old the twins have not
only proved doctors wrong they have astonished them with their development into
darling children, typical teenagers and, lately, beautiful young adults.
Their new reality show Abby and
Brittany chronicles the next part of their journey as the girls take the leap
from students to young professionals via a summer travelling through Europe
with their friends.
Bella and Ella Morella
Depending on who you ask, the string of potentially related escort slayings
resulted in either four or five gruesome deaths; after investigating the
circumstances revolving around the last known case of the “Hooker Hacker,” it’s
easy to see where the confusion originates from. Bella and Ella Morella were
born in 1957 at Providence Hospital in Washington, DC, as the only set of
conjoined twins the prestigious hospital has ever delivered. Immediately looked
upon with disgust, the girls were joined at the shoulders down through their
midsection. They never even left the hospital with the parents, as their
mother’s psychotic episode after seeing her daughters rendered her unable to
care for a family. In an all too familiar and sad story, Bella and Ella were
placed in an orphanage.
Fast forward 26 years to 1983. Bella and Ella are struggling to make a
living as a sideshow act, victims of the new, politically correct attitudes
taking over the nation’s capital. While the human acts were quickly being
replaced by obese alligators and enormous pigs, there wasn’t much work to be
had for two conjoined, uneducated sisters. Using their built in advantage of
dual vaginas, the Morella sisters took to the streets to put food in their
shared stomach.
That summer, the city was abuzz with anticipation for the upcoming USFL
season. The
Washington
Federals just scored the 4
th overall pick in the draft, using it
to pick up a certain All American running back from SMU. Rumors spread
throughout the area about the new stud rookie’s voracious appetite for blow,
gambling, and beating up hobos. James knew all the right people, with his newly
formed entourage frequently covering when their meal ticket flew into his
legendary fits of rage.
Again, there were few clues to be found when the body (bodies?) of Bella and
Ella were discovered at the feet of the Lincoln Memorial on a sticky summer
day, the morning of July 4
th, 1983. Although the Federals won their
last game of the season the night before, it capped off a disappointing season
with a 4-14 record. Finally free from the rigors of the season, many players
were finally able to blow off steam in any way they saw fit that night. How
ironic that on that tragic Independence Day for the Morella sisters, the
alleged perpetrator has never once had his independence threatened.
***
I hope when you read the sad histories of these beautiful, kind and caring
women, you see past their choice in profession and instead you look at society
as a whole. Every one of these ladies was rejected at some point in their lives
by people like you and me. Told they weren’t pretty enough, or smart enough,
maybe too old. Sure, Craig James (
allegedly) deserves a large share of
blame in these cases, but what about us? Next time you chuck a half-eaten
yogurt out of your car window and nail a hooker right in the face, ask
yourself: “Isn’t there a little Craig James in all of us?” I know I will.
I
know I will.
Ada and Arlene Tai as conjoined twins, Ping and Jing.
Carmen and Lupita Andrade-Solis
Twins
Carmen and Lupita Andrade-Solis are joined at the hip, share one set of legs,
and have to separate torsos. This rare condition is known as dicephales
tetrabrachius dipus, but it hasn't stopped these girls from living relatively
normal lives. The family moved to the United States to seek medical care, but
the twins could not be safely separated.
Ladan and Laleh Bijani
Ladan
and Laleh Bijani were conjoined twins born in Iran in 1974. They were joined at
the head, but they actually lived a decent childhood after being adopted by Dr.
Alireza Safaia. They later decided to go to law school together and graduated
from Tehran University. Despite the risk, the Bijani sisters decided to undergo
a risky separation surgery in 2003. The surgery was completed, but both twins
died from excessive blood loss.
Lori and George Schappell
Lori and George Schappell were born in 1961 conjoined at
the head. The two of them have very different personalities and abilities.
George actually became a country music singer who even won an award for Best
New Country Artist in 1997. They have made appearances in about a dozen TV
shows and documentaries.
Ronnie and Donnie Galyon
The now world famous Ronnie and Donnie Galyon
have just officially become the world’s oldest living conjoined
twins, beating out the famous “Siamese twins” Eng and Chang
Bunker.
The Galyon twins have just celebrated turning 62 years, 8 months and 7 days
old during a huge party that was thrown by their brother Jim Galyon and
his wife along with many other friends and neighbors.
Ronnie and Donnie Gaylon were born in the winter of 1951 and they currently
live with their younger brother, Jim Galyon, and his wife in the small
city of Beavercreek, Ohio. The Galyon twins have been joined since birth at the
breastbone area to the pelvis, they spent their first few moments of life in
the intensive care unit and many considered them lucky to make it out alive.
They to the Dayton area in 1991, after performing in circus and
sideshow acts for almost 40 years.
While a large banner nearby celebrated the twins as the “World’s Oldest
Conjoined Twins,” they’re hoping for another honor. This coming October they
will break the world record for the oldest ever conjoined twins
when they officially turn 63.
Saba and Farah
India's most famous twins are Saba and Farah Shakeel who
are aged 17 - the pair won a Supreme Court battle in to receive funding for
medical treatment last month
For reasons which are unknown females are
more likely to conjoined.
Despite medical advancements, surgical
separation is still very rare today.
Last month conjoined twins who are joined at
the head won a Supreme Court battle in India to receive funding for medical
treatment.
Saba and Farah Shakeel, 17, will receive
monthly financial assistance and health monitoring from Bihar state in Eastern
India.
The twins share blood vessels to the brain
and only one has kidneys.