Lori and George Schappell, the oldest conjoined twins in the world, passed away at the age of 62 from undisclosed causes. Born in Pennsylvania in 1961, they had their skulls partially fused and shared vital blood vessels and 30% of their brains, making them a record-setting pair according to Guinness World Records. In 2007, George transitioned to a man, making Lori and George the world’s first conjoined twins to identify as different genders.
Their rare condition of conjoined twinning represented only 2-6% of cases. Despite spending every moment together, Lori and George had very different interests and careers. They lived as independently as possible, maintaining their own residence since the age of 24 and traveling extensively. George, who was diagnosed with spina bifida and was four inches shorter, got around in a wheelchair that Lori pushed. They each had separate rooms in their Pennsylvania apartment and engaged in different hobbies.
Both Lori and George had successful careers, with George performing as a country music singer and Lori excelling as an award-winning bowler. Over the years, they made appearances in documentaries and on television shows, including a guest spot on “Nip/Tuck” as a pair of conjoined twins. Surgery to separate them at birth was not an option, and they were not expected to live past the age of 30. Despite spending the first 24 years of their lives in a mental institution due to their parents, they never expressed a desire to be apart from each other.
Throughout their lives, Lori and George maintained a strong bond, refusing to be separated. They never actually looked at each other directly, as they believed in not interfering with “God’s work.” They believed they were not broken and saw no need for any surgical intervention to separate them. They are survived by their father, six siblings, nieces and nephews, and a large extended family of friends, as mentioned in their obituary. Their unique bond and successful lives as individuals were celebrated by those who knew them.
