World’s oldest conjoined twins, Lori and George Schappell, dead at 62

The world’s oldest living conjoined twins passed away at the age of 62 in their native Pennsylvania.

Lori and George Schappell died on 7 April at the hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, according to an obituary. The cause of death was not disclosed.

Born on 18 September 1961 in Reading, southern Pennsylvania, the Schappell twins were joined at the skull with separate bodies, sharing 30% of their brain and crucial blood vessels.

George, who had spina bifida, used a mobility device, while Lori assisted in maneuvering the wheeled stool so they could move around.

Representing the rarest form of conjoined twinning affecting only 2% to 6% of conjoined twins, the Schappells made history when George transitioned in 2007, becoming the first same-sex conjoined twins to identify as different genders, as reported by Guinness World Records.

During their 50th birthday celebration in London, George shared with the Sun newspaper his decision to come out, stating, “I have known from a very young age that I should have been a boy.”

Both twins graduated from the Hiram G Andrews Center and worked at Reading Hospital for several years. George pursued a career as a country music singer, traveling internationally, while Lori excelled in tenpin bowling.

Despite being conjoined, they lived independently from the age of 24 in a two-bedroom apartment, where they managed to maintain privacy and individuality.

Rejecting the notion of separation, the twins firmly believed in embracing their unique bond. As Lori expressed in a 1997 documentary, “Just because we cannot get up and walk away from each other, doesn’t mean we cannot have solitude from other people or ourselves.”