Longest-Surviving Conjoined Twins Pass Away at 62
Lori and George Schappell, recognized as the world’s oldest conjoined twins, have died at the age of 62 respectively (124 total).
Their passing occurred on April 7 at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, as confirmed by Leibensperger Funeral Homes, per The Daily Caller.
The twins held the title of the oldest living conjoined twins according to the Guinness World Records. Details regarding the cause of their death have not been disclosed publicly.
“Guinness World Records are saddened to learn of the passing of Lori and George Schappell, the world’s oldest conjoined twins,” a post from the organization expressed.
Born on September 18, 1961, in Pennsylvania, Lori and George, who were joined at the skull, experienced life together yet pursued individual careers.
“George saw success in the ‘90s as a professional country singer, performing all around the world, whilst Lori is a trophy-winning ten-pin bowler and worked at a hospital laundry for several years, arranging her work schedule around George’s gigs,” Guinness said.
The pair even appeared on the Jerry Springer Show at one point, singing a song on behalf of the late host’s audience.
The records site also noted how the siblings have attempted to maintain a sense of privacy and separation despite the forced intimacy of their unusual anatomical situation.
“The twins endeavour to do as much as possible individually, including showering: ‘We don’t always get a shower at the same time; in fact, hardly ever,’ Lori revealed. They manage this by using a shower curtain as a barrier between themselves while one showers and the other stands outside the bath.”
George, formerly known as “Dori” and “Reba,” also made headlines by coming out as the first member of a set of conjoined twins to identify openly as a gender not corresponding to the indvidual’s assigned sex at birth.
The transgender George’s sibling Lori, expressing a firm belief that God’s creation should not be altered by human will, explained the siblings’ rationale for not separating, even though they considered a medical procedure to do so at times.
“You don’t mess with what God made, even if it means you enjoy both children for a shorter time,” Lori said, as reported by Guinness.
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