Rosario Monachino
There has been an update regarding the marriage of conjoined twin Abby Hensel after a staggering new twist came to light.
Brittany and Abby, 34, became viral sensations after first appearing on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1996, where they publicly spoke about their life story.
Following their interview, the twins remained present in the public eye – even earning their own reality TV show, Abby & Brittany on TLC which ran for one season in 2012.
However, after their series went off the air, the pair chose to keep out of the public limelight.
But they have recently come back into the news after it was announced that Abby got married to Josh Bowling in 2021.
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Abby and Brittany are dicephalic conjoined twins – which is a very rare condition.
According to the National Library of Medicine, this is when the siblings are born fused together at the torso.
In Abby and Brittany’s case, they have separate spinal cords, brains, and hearts but share a bloodstream and their organs are located below the waist – with Brittany controlling the left side of their body, and Abby controlling the right.
When the twins were born, their parents, Patty and Mike Hensel were advised that surgery to separate the twins could result in one of them not surviving.
“How could you pick between the two?” Mike said, during a 2001 interview with TIME magazine.
The pair have not let being conjoined twins disrupt their lives, however.
They graduated from Bethel University in 2012 and, in recent years, they have worked as teachers at an elementary school in Minnesota.
They have also both received driving licenses.
“People have been curious about us since we were born, for obvious reasons,” the twins said in the first episode of the eight-part series, via ABC.
“But our parents never let us use that as an excuse. We were raised to believe we could do anything we wanted to do.”
In the past, the twins have been adamant about keeping their love lives private – stating that the ‘whole world doesn’t need to know who we’re dating’, in their documentary Joined for Life: Abby & Brittany Turn 16.
But they have opened up about their plans to become parents one day.
They acknowledged that it would be a difficult process, but do believe it is possible as ‘those organs do work for them.’
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News broke recently that Abby got married, with Today reporting that she married former army medic Josh Bowling in 2021.
Fans of the twins congratulated the happy couple on social media, with one person writing: “I feel like I grew up with you guys! I’m 34 and watched you years ago and was obsessed! Much love I’m glad to see you both so happy.”
“As long as y’all are happy nothing else matters,” a second writes.
Another person says: “Congrats on being so authentic and amazing!! And congrats on your wedding Abby! You are two extraordinary women!!!”
The twins have addressed the online reaction to the news – where they posted a TikTok video showing various ancient sculptures of conjoined twins, alongside the caption: “The internet is extra LOUD today. We have always been around.”
@abbyandbrittanyhensel The internet is extra LOUD today. We have always been around ❤️#abbyandbrittanyhensel #happy #love #lovestory #marriage ♬ Real Love Baby – Father John Misty
Following the marriage, attention turned to Bowling’s past and it was uncovered that he was facing a paternity battle against his ex-wife, Annica Bowling – which is believed to have been filed on October 3, 2023, as per People.
The pair already share custody over an eight-year-old daughter, as stated in documents obtained by the New York Post, but it was reported that he may be the father to a three-year-old with his former spouse.
Another man – named Gavin Vatnsdal, according to MailOnline – was also named in the suit.
But on April 19, the results of the paternity test came through.
It was confirmed that Vatnsdal was indeed the father of the three-year-old.
“It’s not Mr Bowling’s child. It’s my client’s child,” Vatnsdal’s attorney Gregory Seamon told the court.
“I think all the parties agree that Mr Vatnsdal should be the adjudicated father and Mr Bowling should be discharged and taken off the birth certificate,” Judge Siv Mjanger ruled.
“I can grant that motion.”
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