Abby and Brittany Hensel, known from a TV show on TLC, are now a trio instead of a duo. Abby, who’s on the left side of their conjoined bodies, got married to Josh Bowling in 2021. He’s a nurse and a former soldier in the U.S. Army. They live in Minnesota, the state where Abby and Brittany grew up. Since their 8-episode TV series aired in 2012, Abby and Brittany, both 34 years old, have been leading private lives. Despite the fame, they’re enjoying their time in Minnesota, their hometown.
Reported by the “Today” show, the sisters, who work as fifth-grade teachers in their home state, had their marriage details revealed through obtained records.
Abby and Josh kept their wedding private until 2023, when they posted pictures of their ceremony on their TikTok account, @abbyandbrittanyhensel. A clip from a guest’s Facebook post resurfaced, showing an intimate moment from their wedding.
In the video posted by Heidi Bowling, lasting 20 seconds, the couple is seen dancing and kissing at the reception. Abby and her sister donned matching all-white sleeveless bridal gowns, while Bowling opted for a grey suit. Bowling gazes into his blushing bride’s eyes as Brittany stands by her sister’s side in support.
Back in 1996, the pair first showed up on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” to talk about being conjoined twins. They were born with a rare condition called dicephalus, where two heads are on one body, sharing one set of genitals, two to four arms, two hearts, and two legs.
The Helsen twins share a bloodstream and all organs below their waist. Abby manages their right arm and leg, while Brittany manages the left side.
Abby and Brittany were born in 1990. Their parents, Patty and Mike Hensel, chose not to have them separated when doctors said the chances of surviving the surgery were low, as reported by “Today.”
“How could you pick between the two?” their father Mike said, during a 2001 interview with Time magazine.
Even though they face challenges as conjoined twins, they haven’t let it stop them from reaching important milestones like getting their driver’s license at 16, finishing college, going to Europe, and becoming teachers.
Even though they face challenges as conjoined twins in life, they haven’t let it hold them back. There’s talk about whether they want to have kids in the future. In the documentary “Joined for Life” from 2003, Abby and Brittany talk about the idea of becoming parents someday.
“Yeah, we want to be moms,” Brittany said. “We haven’t figured out how being moms will work yet. But we’re only 16 — we don’t need to worry about that now.”
But they don’t need to hurry to have kids because Abby’s husband already has a child from a previous relationship, as reported by the Daily Mail. Their family life, as shown on Bowling’s Facebook page, includes enjoying time together with family photos, going out for ice cream, and celebrating holidays.