You’ve probably seen the headlines. For a few years now, every time you refresh your feed, there’s some new "update" about the Hensel twins. Usually, it’s some wild claim about a medical breakthrough or a secret life change. Honestly, most of it is just noise. If you grew up in the 90s or 2000s, you remember them. They were the kids on Oprah. The teenagers on TLC. The girls who could drive a car despite being dicephalic parapagus twins—basically, two heads, one body.
But then, the spotlight dimmed. They went to college, got jobs, and sort of disappeared into the "normal" life they always said they wanted. Then 2022 hit, and the internet decided it was time to start talking again.
Abby and Brittany Hensel: The Separation Rumor That Won't Die
Let’s get the biggest thing out of the way: Abby and Brittany Hensel were not separated in 2022. In fact, they haven't been separated at all. This is one of those things people keep searching for because, frankly, the idea of "separation" is the first thing our brains jump to when we see conjoined twins. We want a "fix." But for the Hensel sisters, separation was never a realistic "fix."
Back when they were babies, their parents, Patty and Mike, had to make a choice. It was a brutal one. Doctors told them that a separation surgery would likely kill at least one of the girls, if not both. Even if they both survived, their quality of life would have been—kinda terrible. They share almost everything from the waist down. One set of reproductive organs, one bladder, one large intestine. You can’t just "cut" that in half and expect two functioning people to walk away.
By the time 2022 rolled around, the twins were well into their 30s. At that age, a separation isn't just risky; it’s medically unthinkable. They’ve spent three decades coordinating their every move. Abby controls the right side, Brittany the left. Their nervous systems are so intertwined that they don't even have to think about who is moving which leg. They just walk. Why would they want to trade that for a life of intense disability and the loss of a sister? They’ve said it themselves: they don't want to be separated. They like being together.
The 2022 Milestone Nobody Saw Coming
So, if they weren't being separated, why was everyone talking about them? Well, it turns out there was a massive life change happening behind the scenes.
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While the news didn't officially break until 2024, Abby Hensel actually got married in 2021. By 2022, she was living her life as a newlywed. The guy? Josh Bowling. He’s a nurse and a U.S. Army veteran. It’s funny—people always wondered how romance would work for them. They used to be pretty tight-lipped about it. In their 2012 TLC show, they basically told the world to back off. They wanted privacy. And they got it. For three years, Abby and Josh lived a quiet life in Minnesota before the public record of their marriage certificate was even discovered by the media.
It’s a lot to wrap your head around, right? Two people, one body, one marriage. Legally, they are two separate people. They have two birth certificates and two driver’s licenses. But in terms of the marriage, it’s Abby’s union.
Life as Fifth-Grade Teachers
While everyone on social media was debating the ethics of their private lives, the twins were busy doing something much more grounded. They’re teachers.
Since about 2013, they’ve been working at an elementary school in Minnesota. They teach fifth grade. Think about that for a second. Imagine being ten years old and having two teachers who share one body. It’s actually a brilliant way for kids to learn about disability and "different" without it being some scary, clinical thing.
The logistics are pretty interesting:
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- They have two separate degrees. They both graduated from Bethel University.
- They have two teaching licenses. * But they share one paycheck. That last part? It’s a bit of a controversy. Since they can only be in one classroom at a time, the school district pays them as one person. Abby and Brittany have mentioned in the past that they’d like to negotiate that as they get more experience. After all, one can be lecturing while the other monitors the kids or answers questions. That’s a two-for-one deal for the school!
The Anatomy of Their Daily Life
It’s easy to forget the sheer physical complexity of their existence. People ask the weirdest questions, but the reality is just a series of very well-practiced habits.
They eat separately—they have two stomachs. They have two hearts and two sets of lungs. If Brittany gets a cold, Abby doesn't necessarily get sick at the same time, though they do share a bloodstream, so medicine taken by one eventually affects both.
The coordination is what blows everyone away. They can type on a keyboard at normal speed. They can play piano. They can drive a car, which is maybe the most "Minnesota" thing about them. Abby handles the pedals and the gear shift; Brittany handles the turn signals and the lights. They both steer. It’s the ultimate team sport.
Why the "Separated" Rumors Keep Trending
The internet has a short memory and a big appetite for drama. In 2022, several "content farms" started recycling old clips of the twins with clickbait titles like "Abby and Brittany Hensel: The Tragic Separation."
It’s fake. All of it.
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There’s a weird phenomenon called the "Mandela Effect" where people swear they remember a news report about them being separated. They didn't. You're probably thinking of other conjoined twins, like the Bijani sisters or the ones from the 1950s. The Hensel twins are a success story because they stayed together, not because they were "fixed."
What We Can Learn From Them
Honestly, if you look past the "how do they do X?" curiosity, their story is actually about boundaries. They grew up as the most famous twins in the world and then just... stopped. They chose to work a 9-to-5. They chose to live in a small town. They chose to keep a marriage secret for three years just so they could enjoy being a couple without the world staring.
That’s the actionable takeaway here. In a world where everyone is trying to be famous, the Hensel twins are trying to be anonymous. They’ve proven that you can have a "spectacular" physical condition and still lead a "mundane" life.
If you're following their story, here is what you should actually look for:
- Check the source. If a headline says they’ve been separated or there’s a "tragedy," it’s almost certainly fake.
- Respect the privacy. They aren't on a reality show anymore. They post occasionally on TikTok, but they aren't looking for a comeback.
- Support disability inclusion. Their career as teachers is a huge win for representation in schools.
The Hensel twins are still in Minnesota. They’re still teaching. Abby is still married. And no, they are definitely not separated. They’re just living.
To stay updated on their actual lives without the clickbait, you can occasionally check their joint social media accounts, but don't expect a tell-all. They've already told us everything they want us to know: they’re two people, one body, and they’re doing just fine.