Lori and George Schappell spent their entire lives side by side, joined at the head. Doctors once doubted they would reach adulthood. Instead, they became the world’s oldest known conjoined twins and built a life defined by grit, humor, and choice.

They shared a blood supply and part of their brain. Even so, they insisted on independence. They followed different interests. They kept their own routines. When one focused on a hobby, the other learned to tune out and give space.

Then, in 2007, George made a deeply personal decision. He told Lori he was a trans man. He said he had felt that truth since childhood. He also admitted he hid it for years, even from the person closest to him. However, he reached a point where he refused to “live a lie” any longer.

Lori reacted with surprise. Then she stood firmly by her brother. She spoke with pride. She reminded people that they had already faced the impossible together.

That same teamwork carried into Lori’s dating life, too. She once explained that George brought books on dates and politely looked away during romantic moments. Later, when Lori lost her fiancé in a car accident, she said George helped her survive the heartbreak.

They never pursued separation surgery. George put it simply: why fix what isn’t broken?

They died on April 7, 2024, at age 62. Their story still reads like a lesson in loyalty and living honestly.