Remarkable Love Story: Conjoined Twin Abby Hensel Ties the Knot

Abby and Brittany Hensel, conjoined twins, first attracted national attention in 1996 when they appeared on the “Oprah Winfrey Show”.

Abby is now married.

The Hensels starred later in TLC’s feel-good reality series, “Abby and Brittany,” where they drove, traveled to Europe, and rode a moped. Abby and Brittany were just about to graduate from college when the show ended. They both had degrees in education.

In the past decade, a lot has changed. Abby, now 34, is married. Public records show that Abby Bowling and Abby, who is a teacher and Josh Bowling is a nurse, both of whom are veterans of the United States Army, married in 2021. They also posted photos on social media. The couple lives in Minnesota, the state where the Hensels grew up.

Both sisters teach fifth grade in Minnesota.

Bowling’s family is seen in pictures and videos posted on its Facebook page enjoying nature hikes, snow tubing, and ice cream.

Abby and Brittany share the same bloodstream, as well as all their organs below the waist. Brittany controls their left arm and leg while Abby controls the right.

Patty and Mike Hensel decided not to separate Abby and Brittany when they were born in 1990. They deemed it too risky. Doctors at the time said that there was a low chance of both surviving the surgery.

Mike asked in a 2001 Time magazine interview, “How can you choose between the two?”

Conjoined twins are only born in about 1 in 200,000 live births. According to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 70% of conjoined pairs are female and the majority are stillborn.

Patty Hensel, in the 2003 documentary “Joined for Life”, said that her daughters wanted to have children someday.

Patty said, “That’s probably something that would work because their organs work for them.”

Brittany replied, “Yes, we are going to be mothers.” We haven’t yet thought about what it will be like to become moms. We’re only 16 — don’t worry about it yet.