Abby and Brittany Hensel
Updated: 12/11/2025, 8:08:27 AM Wikipedia source
Abigail Loraine Hensel and Brittany Lee Hensel (born March 7, 1990) are American conjoined twins. They are dicephalic parapagus twins (having two heads joined to one torso), and are highly symmetric for conjoined twins. Each has a heart, stomach, spine, pair of lungs, and spinal cord. Each twin controls one arm and one leg. When they were infants, learning to crawl, walk, and clap required cooperation. They can eat and write separately and simultaneously. Activities such as running, swimming, hair-brushing, playing piano or volleyball, riding a bicycle, or driving a car require coordination. The twins' lives have been covered in the popular media, including Life magazine and The Oprah Winfrey Show. They were interviewed on The Learning Channel in December 2006, discussing their daily lives and future plans. They starred in their own reality television series, Abby & Brittany, on TLC in 2012. Since 2013, the two have been teachers in Minnesota.
Infobox
Born
mw- Abigail Loraine Hensel Brittany Lee Hensel (1990-03-07) March 7, 1990 (age 35)New Germany, Minnesota, U.S.
Education
Bethel University
Occupation
Teachers
Tables
· Filmography
April 8, 1996
April 8, 1996
First aired
April 8, 1996
Title
The Oprah Winfrey Show
Distributor
King World Productions
Produced by
Harpo Productions
March 27, 2003
March 27, 2003
First aired
March 27, 2003
Title
Joined for Life
Distributor
Discovery Channel
Produced by
Advanced Medical Productions, American Broadcasting Company
December 17, 2006
December 17, 2006
First aired
December 17, 2006
Title
Joined for Life: Abby and Brittany Turn 16
Distributor
TLC
Produced by
Advanced Medical Productions
February 19, 2007
February 19, 2007
First aired
February 19, 2007
Title
Extraordinary People: The Twins Who Share a Body
Distributor
Five (UK)
Produced by
One North
August 28, 2012
August 28, 2012
First aired
August 28, 2012
Title
Abby & Brittany
Distributor
TLC
| First aired | Title | Distributor | Produced by |
| April 8, 1996 | The Oprah Winfrey Show | King World Productions | Harpo Productions |
| March 27, 2003 | Joined for Life | Discovery Channel | Advanced Medical Productions, American Broadcasting Company |
| December 17, 2006 | Joined for Life: Abby and Brittany Turn 16 | TLC | Advanced Medical Productions |
| February 19, 2007 | Extraordinary People: The Twins Who Share a Body | Five (UK) | One North |
| August 28, 2012 | Abby & Brittany | TLC |
References
- "Conjoined twins 'Abby & Brittany' get their own reality show"https://web.archive.org/web/20120809224609/http://tv.yahoo.com/news/conjoined-twins--abby---brittany--get-their-own-reality-show--video-.html
- Huffington Posthttps://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/11/conjoined-twins-abby-and-brittany-hensel_n_1760552.html
- "Directory", Sunnyside Elementary. Retrieved July 30, 2025https://sunnyside.mvpschools.org/directory
- Abby and Brittany: Joined for Life, BBC, accessed May 21, 2013https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01s5b2d/episodes/guide
- www.bethel.eduhttps://www.bethel.edu/news/articles/2012/august/tlc-hensel
- Abby & Brittany, Episode 3
- mymultiplesclerosis.co.ukhttps://web.archive.org/web/20131111145003/http://www.mymultiplesclerosis.co.uk/misc/shared-body.html
- Fitch, Kimmy. "Hensel Twins Life Update: Inside the Adult Lives of Famous Conjoined Twins", Ask.com, March 18, 2022https://www.ask.com/lifestyle/hensel-twins-life-update
- Wallis, Lucy. "Living a conjoined life", BBC News, April 24, 2013https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-22181528
- Heavy.comhttps://heavy.com/entertainment/2012/08/conjoined-twins-with-2-heads-1-body-get-reality-show-on-tlc
- Timehttps://time.com/vault/issue/1996-03-25/page/60/
- Tohoku J. Exp. Medhttps://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/tjem/205/2/205_2_179/_pdf
- Abby & Brittany, Episode 4
- citypages.comhttps://web.archive.org/web/20120103004716/http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2008/02/minnesotas_abby.php
- Newsweek.comhttps://www.newsweek.com/realitys-believe-it-or-not-93725
- "How Do Conjoined Twins Teach a Class? | Abby and Brittany", Origin, via YouTube, February 17, 2023https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M36jxR_6lIE
- Harker, Joe. "Conjoined twins opened up on what their life was like after becoming teachers", UNILAD.com, January 25, 20https://www.unilad.com/community/conjoined-twins-life-teachers-071818-20230125
- Haward, Jenny. "Conjoined Twins Abby and Brittany Hensel Share Video of Wedding Dance with Abby's Husband Josh Bowling",https://people.com/conjoined-twins-abby-brittany-hensel-post-wedding-dance-with-josh-bowling-8663380
- Stivale, Shelby. "Who Is Conjoined Twin Abby Hensel’s Husband Josh Bowling? Meet the Decorated Army Veteran", US Weekly,https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/who-is-conjoined-twin-abby-hensels-husband-josh-bowling
- Science World
- abc.net.auhttps://web.archive.org/web/20121012003310/http://www.abc.net.au/tv/documentaries/stories/s814409.htm
- Medhunters.comhttps://web.archive.org/web/20040825150554/http://www.medhunters.com/articles/sharedLives.html
- Extraordinary People
- Hutchison, Rob. Joined for Life: Abby & Brittany turn 16, Advanced Medical Productions, 2006, accessed November 11, 2012http://www.advancedmedical.tv/content/shows/jfl16.htm
- Joined for Life: Abby and Brittany Turn 16 Archived July 12, 2007, at the Wayback Machine from Figure8Films.tvhttp://figure8films.tv/content/shows/flash/jfl16.swf
- Extraordinary People: The Twins Who Share a Body from YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K57IcN9DWXo