Conjoined Twin Abby Hensel Quietly Marries, Embarks on New Chapter

Reports have surfaced indicating that Abby Hensel, one half of the conjoined twin duo known for their TLC reality show “Abby & Brittany,” quietly tied the knot in 2021. Abby, now 34 years old, married Josh Bowling, a nurse and U.S. Army veteran, as per public records obtained by Today and other sources.

Evidence from the Hensels’ Facebook profile suggests a wedding took place, with a shared photo showing the conjoined twins dressed in a white wedding gown and holding hands with a man in a gray suit. Presently, Abby and Brittany, who reside in their native Minnesota, have transitioned into careers as fifth-grade teachers.

Josh Bowling’s Facebook page showcases the family enjoying outdoor activities like hiking, indulging in ice cream, and partaking in snow tubing adventures.

Conjoined twins are an extremely rare occurrence, with only 1 in 50,000 to 100,000 pregnancies resulting in this phenomenon, according to the National Institutes of Health. Abby and Brittany are dicephalus conjoined twins, with two heads side by side on one torso, separate hearts and stomachs, one pair of arms and legs, and shared organs below the waist.

Abby controls their right arm and leg, while Brittany controls the left. Their journey into the public eye began in 1996 with an appearance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and continued with their TLC series chronicling their college endeavors and European travels.

The notion of separating the twins was quickly dismissed by their parents due to the slim chances of survival for both, as revealed in a Time interview from 2001. Dr. Joy Westerdahl, the family’s physician, marveled at their synchronized movements and complex actions, highlighting their ability to clap hands, walk, swim, and ride a bike with two separate brains.

In a 2003 documentary titled “Joined for Life,” the twins expressed interest in motherhood, with their mother, Patty, noting that their shared organs could potentially support this desire. Despite their dreams, Abby and Brittany acknowledged that at 16 years old, such considerations were premature.