The world mourns the loss of the oldest known conjoined twins, Lori and George Schappell, who both passed away at the age of 62 in their Pennsylvania hometown.
Born on September 18, 1961, in Reading, Pennsylvania, Lori and George shared a rare connection, being conjoined at the skull while having separate bodies. They were linked by 30% of their brains and essential blood vessels.
Their incredible life journey came to a close on April 7 at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia, as noted in their obituary. The specific cause of their passing has not been revealed.
George, who lived with spina bifida, used a mobility device for assistance, while Lori facilitated their movements by pushing and guiding his rolling stool. Their form of conjoined twins is exceptionally rare, affecting only about 2% to 6% of cases of congenital twins, according to NBC Today.
In a landmark moment for their lives, George transitioned in 2007, making them the first same-sex conjoined twins to identify as different genders, as recognized by Guinness World Records. During their trip to London in 2011 to celebrate their 50th birthday, George shared insights about his journey with The Sun, stating: “I knew from a very young age that I was supposed to be a boy”.
Both Lori and George completed their education at the Hiram G. Andrews Center and later worked at Reading Hospital. Despite their physical connection, they each pursued their own passions and hobbies. George followed his love for music as a country singer, captivating audiences globally, while Lori thrived as an accomplished bowler.
Remarkably, the Schappells enjoyed an independent lifestyle since turning 24. Initially, they lived in a care facility, then transitioned to a two-bedroom apartment where they each had their own space. They highlighted the significance of privacy, emphasizing that even with their physical bond, they found ways to enjoy solitude when needed
“Would we ever separate? Absolutely not”, George stated in a 1997 documentary: “My theory is, why fix what isn’t broken?”
Lori echoed this sentiment in a 2002 interview with the Los Angeles Times, saying: “I don’t believe in separation”. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of Lori and George during this challenging time.
A Rare Look At Today’s Shiloh Jolie-Pitt
One of the most popular Hollywood couples of all time was Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Some people loved them together and other people hated it, but it was impossible to ignore the fact that they were everywhere.
The couple remained together for 12 years and had three children with each other. They also adopted three children while they were together. Angelina Jolie already had two sons who were adopted when she met him in 2004.
The film that they met each other on was Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and in many ways, it launched their relationship with each other. They enjoyed working together and eventually, a romance was building.
They talked about what they wanted in life and this included some similar things. Angelina was still adopting children and they co-adopted a baby from Ethiopia in 2006.
It was in that same year that she was pregnant with their own child. They went to Namibia for the birth to stay out of the public eye during that time.
They were so popular together that it is thought that the first picture of the child was worth $1 million. That baby is Shiloh, and she was born healthy by a cesarean section.
Despite the fact that they had a healthy baby, they were also concerned that there were some 2 million babies born every year in the developing world who died the first day they were born. They wanted to do what they could to save those children by making changes.
Shiloh is now 16 years old and she’s growing up quickly. She is close to her older brothers and sisters as well as the twin siblings that are younger than she is.
They don’t too much on social media so they tend to stay behind the scenes but one thing that is known is that Shiloh wasn’t always going by that name. At one time, she wanted to be called John.
Her parents are supportive of the choice that she’s made, and they want her to fit in. They even try to match clothes with her older brothers.
According to Angelina Jolie, she wanted to be a boy so they cut her hair and let her wear boy’s clothing.
These days, Shiloh has grown up into a beautiful young woman. She still isn’t seen very often in public, but we look forward to seeing her more in the future.
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