Two souls in one body.
The lives of conjoined twins have always drawn significant attention.
Recently, the American conjoined twins, Abby and Brittany, gained public interest due to Abby's marriage, sparking various speculations about the lives of the sisters and their husband post-marriage.
Now, another pair of American conjoined twins has captured the public's attention.
Unfortunately, this time, the media has published an obituary.
The conjoined twins, Lori and George, passed away on April 7th at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital at the age of 62, September 18, 1961 – April 7, 2024.
Their lives were truly remarkable.
For the first 24 years after their birth, they lived in a psychiatric hospital, where their "afraid and bewildered" parents had placed them.
The twins gained widespread fame in 2007 when George publicly revealed his male identity, transforming from "they" to "him and her," making them the world's first transgender heterosexual conjoined twins.
In 2022, they were recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world's oldest living conjoined twins.
The longest-living conjoined twins on record were Ronald and Donald Lee Galyon from the United States. They passed away in 2020 at the age of 68.
He's a singer, she's a bowler.
The condition of Lori and George is quite peculiar; they are craniopagus conjoined twins, with partially fused heads and sharing 30% of their brain.
Initially, this pair of sisters wasn't expected to survive past 30 years old, but they defied the odds, living for 62 years and 202 days, surpassing the next oldest recorded female conjoined twins by 9 years.
Due to their differing developmental conditions, their physical abilities also vary.
Lori and George, conjoined twins, share their lives in an extraordinary way. While Lori is physically able except for being connected at the head, George was born with a spinal defect that confines him to a specially designed wheelchair, which Lori pushes.
Before transitioning, George was known as Dolly. It wasn't until 2007, upon announcing his transition, that he adopted the name George. Lori stood by him through this identity shift, offering her full support.
Interestingly, George has not undergone gender confirmation surgery. His identification as male is primarily psychological, reflected in his attire, behavior, and mannerisms. Their unique combination as conjoined twins with one being male and the other female has brought them both fame and controversy.
Despite sharing a portion of their brains, they lead independent lives and excel in their respective fields. George is a country singer, gaining fame in the 1990s, while Lori initially worked as a laundry attendant at a hospital. Despite this, George's career soared, taking him to perform in numerous countries, with Lori accompanying him on his global journey.
In later years, Lori also found success, becoming a highly skilled bowler in her own right.
Desiring Marriage and Parenthood: "Conjoined Twins Can Have Very Private Lives Too!"
The question that conjoined twins inevitably face is: "Would you choose to be separated if you could?"
And their answer is unanimous: "We don't see ourselves as a problem, so we would never choose to separate!"
Meanwhile, Lori expresses: "Even though we can't be apart physically, we can still have very private lives."
Indeed, in reality, the two individuals have different personalities, interests, and lives.
In an apartment in Pennsylvania, there are two rooms, each decorated according to their individual preferences.
They take turns staying in each room, even showering separately, with one showering while the other waits outside.
They have an agreement that in George's room, everything revolves around George, and Lori refrains from expressing any opinions, as if she doesn't exist; similarly, George in Lori's room would make himself transparent.
Especially since Lori has expressed multiple times in the media her desire to have her own family, children, and husband.
In response, George expresses his agreement and willingness to cooperate unconditionally.
Lori has dated several boyfriends and even been engaged, but unfortunately, her fiancé passed away in a car accident.
When asked by reporters how he would feel if Lori got married, and how he would handle Lori's intimacy with her husband, George replied: "I would just see him as a brother-in-law, nothing more. They can do whatever they want around me, as if I don't exist!"
George even joked, "Luckily, we're face to face, so I can't see them kissing! When Lori was dating her fiancé, I was always there, diligently reading a book on the side."
In general, when one of conjoined twins dies, there's a high likelihood that the other will perish as well. This is because the deceased "part" generates toxins, which, since the bodies are shared, are naturally shared as well, leading to the demise of the other half. Unless promptly taken to the hospital and separated immediately, there's little hope of survival. However, even with separation, the chances of survival are slim. Conjoined twins who are candidates for separation surgery usually undergo the procedure at a young age, which improves their chances of recovery. Waiting until adulthood to undergo separation is typically too taxing for the body to endure!
