Abby Hensel and Brittany Hensel spent the day with a special little companion.
The conjoined twins stepped out in Arden Hills, Minn., Aug. 14 and were joined by an adorable baby.
In photos obtained by TMZ, the Abby & Brittany alums donned a black tank top and khaki shorts as they loaded a baby, who was safely strapped into a carseat, into the back seat of a Tesla vehicle. While the pair took care in putting the baby into the car, it’s unclear if the child is related to either Brittany or Abby, who made headlines last year when it was revealed she had tied the knot with husband Josh Bowling in 2021.
E! News has reached out to Abby, Brittany and Josh for comment but has not yet heard back.
Though Abby and Brittany have maintained mostly low profiles since their 2012 TLC show, they have given peeks into their lives as dicephalus conjoined twins, including how they approach driving a car.
“We have two licenses and when we got our driver’s license we each had to take the test and we both passed,” the pair explained in unison on the show, with Brittany adding, “When we drive, Abby is control of the gas and the brakes, and we both steer, and I’m in charge of the blinker.”
Beyond their teamwork while driving, the reality TV stars also shared insight last year into how their bodies are able to function both together and independently.
"Abby and Brittany Hensel's anatomy is a remarkable blend of shared and individual organs and tissues," explained a video created by molecular biologist Hashem Al-Ghaili and shared to their TikTok in December. "The twins each have their own distinct upper body systems. Abby and Brittany have two heads, two brains, two spinal cords and two hearts, which are part of a shared circulatory system."
And while Abby, who is on the right side, and Brittany, on the left, share certain systems, including their blood circulation, the 35-year-old sisters’ brains and spinal cords "function independently."
"Despite this division, their movements are highly coordinated," the video’s narrator continued. "For activities requiring both arms, such as holding objects, typing on a keyboard or steering a car, they rely on constant cooperation and communication."
Read on to learn more about Abby and Brittany’s lives.
Abby and Brittany’s Surprise Arrival
Abby and Brittany were born on March 7, 1990. Their mother, Patty Hensel, shared in a 2007 documentary Extraordinary People: The Twins Who Share a Body that she only expected to deliver one baby when she gave birth based on scans. Abby and Brittany were initially born with three arms, but had one removed as it wasn’t functional.
Patty and her husband Mike Hensel were told Abby and Brittany were inseparable as babies. And while Patty explained that separation may have been possible as the girls matured, the parents chose to keep them conjoined as they were able to live a full, healthy life together.
"We never wish we were separated," Abby and Brittany both explained in the 2007 documentary. "Because then we wouldn't get to do the things we can do—play softball, meet new people, run."
A Singular Bond
In the 2007 documentary, Abby and Brittany explained that they are often able to anticipate what the other will say when curating an email or online message. In fact, they tend to refer to themselves as one person, unless they disagree. In those cases, they'll say "Abby says" or "Brittany says."
They also now share singular social media accounts, which are private and mostly inactive.
Abby and Brittany Understand the Curiosity—To a Point
Abby and Brittany have long expressed their understanding of people's curiosity toward their life. Still, they admitted to feeling frustration at the reaction they’re met with in public, especially people taking their photo without permission.
“We absolutely hate when people take pictures of us” Abby explained in 2007. “And we will throw a fit about it, and make them embarrassed.”
Additionally, while doctors were curious about their health and growing process as children, Mike and Patty Hensel did not allow any unnecessary tests be done on their daughters. Brittany and Abby also said the doctor's office was their least favorite place to go at the time.
“While they are unique, the family wants to treat them like they are just like anyone else,” the family’s doctor Joy Westerdahl explained in 2007. “I have to be mindful of the family’s wishes not to get too involved.”
Abby’s Blended Family
After marrying Josh Bowling, a nurse and veteran, Abby gained another family member—his daughter Isabella. The couple officially tied the knot on November 13, 2021. And while the news was shocking to the public, Abby and Brittany have always had starting a family on their minds.
"Yeah, we're going to be moms," Brittany said in Joined for Life: Abby & Brittany Turn 16 in 2006. "We haven't thought about how being moms is going to work yet."
Their Foray Into Reality TV
Now in their thirties, Abby and Brittany have maintained their privacy since Abby & Brittany aired in 2012. The one-season reality series depicted the young women's lives as they wrapped up college and entered into adulthood.
Life Outside the Spotlight
Abby and Brittany began working as a teacher shortly after graduating college. When they were initially hired, they shared they were not in a salaried position, but were given separate contracts, and split their pay.
They currently teach fifth grade together at an elementary school in Minnesota.
“Math and science is kind of my strong point,” Abby explained on an episode of Abby & Brittany. “Where Brittany is more focused on the language arts, reading—stuff like that.”