Conjoined twin Abby Hensel has officially tied the knot, and the celebrations are in full swing! Fans and followers can't contain their excitement and are eager to learn more about her husband and how the couple navigates their unique life alongside Abby’s twin sister, Brittany.
The famous conjoined twins Brittany and Abby were born in March 1990. The siblings became a household name after several televised appearances discussing how they manage their unique situation.
Highlights
- Abby Hensel tied the knot with Josh Bowling in 2021.
- Abby is legally married to Josh, while Brittany remains single.
- Josh Bowling, a veteran and hospice nurse, calls his job 'a calling.'
- Despite public curiosity, Abby and Brittany lead a private life.
- Conjoined twins Abby and Brittany manage personal challenges together.
As the women grew older, their fame increased, as did public curiosity in their personal and private lives. Join us as we explore the bond they’ve forged and the unusual challenges they face while maintaining their fiercely private life past marriage.
Abby and Brittany’s Unique Physiology
As identical dicephalic conjoined twins, Abby and Brittany Hensel share a bloodstream and all organs below the waist (per Time). However, Abby controls the right arm and leg, and Brittany controls the left.
Their nervous systems are entirely separate, meaning Abby can’t feel Brittany’s side of the body, and Brittany can’t feel Abby’s. This remarkable dynamic showcases the incredible coordination and teamwork required in their daily lives.
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Abby and Brittany’s Marital Status
In the 1996 interview with Time, Abby and Brittany’s father, Mike Hensel, shared his thoughts on whether his daughters would one day find husbands. He said, “They’re good-looking girls. They’re witty. They’ve got everything going for them, except,” and after a short pause, continued, “they’re together.”
Fast-forward to 2021, when Abby married Josh Bowling, making headlines across the globe (per Today). Notably, only Abby is legally married to Josh, as Brittany remains single at the time of this article’s publication.
Who is Josh Bowling, The Husband of Abby Hensel?
Josh Bowling describes himself on X as a “Christian, Father, Husband, Veteran, and occasional gamer. From Army medic to Nurse.”
According to Bowl’s Facebook profile, his hometown is Johnson City, Tennessee, and he attended Century College from 2014-2018 for nursing and was a “Health Care Specialist at United States Army” from 2010-2014. A photo shared in 2020 revealed Bowling was a hospice nurse at St. Croix Hospice.
Speaking to The Minnesota Star Tribune in 2021, Bowling described his work as a hospice nurse as “a calling.” Reflecting on his experience as an Army medic with the 1st Cavalry Division in Iraq and Afghanistan, he noted how witnessing “the bad version” of passing away shaped his perspective. “If there’s the ability to give someone a peaceful death rather than what I was accustomed to,” he shared, “I was drawn to that.”
Opinion of Psychologist Daniel Hoadley
Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG), introduced by Tedeschi and Calhoun (1996), explains how going through traumatic experiences can lead to deep personal growth. In Bowling’s case, witnessing traumatic deaths in war may have pushed him to find meaning by ensuring others have a peaceful passing in hospice care. His experience reflects PTG’s notion that suffering can sometimes deepen our appreciation for life and inspire a strong desire to help others. – Daniel Hoadley
Bowling’s compassionate and gentle nature might have been one of the qualities that attracted Abby to him. However, very little is known about how Josh met Abby and Brittany. The couple has shared very little of their relationship with the public besides videos and photos on their social media accounts.
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Most recently, in September 2024, Josh shared a rare selfie with Abby and Brittany on his Facebook page. All three were sporting big smiles and rosy cheeks.
Public Reactions and Media Fascination
While Bowling and Abby wed in 2021, reports of the nuptials only emerged in March 2023. Following the revelation, the women and Bowling became the subjects of intense media focus. Alongside the attention from the press, plenty of opinions from the public came online.
In response to the negative attention, Abby and Brittany posted two videos to their shared TikTok. We couldn’t verify if the account truly belongs to the sisters, however.
The first video included a variety of antiquities showing conjoined twins. It was captioned, “The Internet is extra loud today. We have always been around.”
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The second video featured the text, “This is a message to all the haters out there. If you don’t like what I do, but you watch everything I’m doing, you’re still a fan.”
[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@abbyandbrittanyhensel/video/7351557094723652907?lang=en%2F[/embed]
While most of the comments on their videos are supportive and positive, many comments are posted that still show plenty of curiosity and negativity related to their private lives, particularly regarding how Abby’s marriage to Bowling works.
In a video shared by Abby and Brittany featuring a montage of photos with Bowling, @wastingthedaysaway commented, “I just don’t understand this. I mean, I understand, but I don’t understand,” and @themrsmaples wrote, “I have so many inappropriate curiosities…”
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Neither Abby, Brittany, nor Bowling responds to comments online. Abby and Brittany haven’t given interviews to media outlets since 2013.
Balancing Love and Shared Lives as Conjoined Twins
Abby and Brittan have garnered a following over the years since they first appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1996, giving audiences a glimpse into their lives as conjoined twins.
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After their appearance with Oprah, the girls were featured in several other television programs, including Dateline NBC in 1998. Most notably, the twins documented their lives in the 2012 TLC series Abby and Brittany.
In the final episode of the eight-part series Abby and Brittany, the women joked with their parents (Mike and Patty Hensel) that “we’re [your] responsibility until marriage.”
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While conjoined twins have successfully married in the past, like the famous pair Chang and Eng Bunker, navigating such a relationship is a delicate task.
Since Abby is married to Bowling, Brittany likely blessed them for their union, especially since she would be involved every step of the way. Moreover, Bowling must maintain a relationship with Brittany, considering her close ties to his wife.
In the end, it seems that the twins and Bowling have managed to find a way to make their relationship work.
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Careers, Routines, and Daily Life
In the opening sequence of the Abby and Brittany series, the twins reflected on their childhood experiences, saying, “Our parents never let us use [being conjoined] as an excuse!”
The twins also said they were very supportive and inspired them to believe in themselves.
Abby and Brittany embraced the “do anything” outlook and have continued proving that nothing will stop them from living everyday lives like anyone else.
Throughout the reality series of Abby and Brittany, the two showcase their graduation, a trip to Europe, and transition into the workforce as teachers.
After graduating with teaching qualifications, the girls were hired for their first jobs. During the final episode of Abby and Brittany, the women shared their experiences setting up their first classroom.
The principal (Mr. Good) who hired them gave insight into their teaching style. He also shared that out of 175 applicants, he was “looking for a very excellent candidate, and they had all that…their exuberance, their math knowledge, their ability to problem solve, just their excitement.”
The documentary didn’t shy away from addressing the attention that Abby and Brittany would attract regarding their appointment as teachers at the school. Mr. Good revealed that the school hired a public relations specialist to send letters out to notify the community.
However, he also said, “After anyone sits with these exceptional young women, I think any of their concerns will just vanish.”
FAQ
Did conjoined twins Abby and Brittany have a baby?
Abby and Brittany don't have any children of their own. Abby’s husband, Joshua Bowling, has a daughter (Isabella) from a previous marriage. He has shared several photos of her on his Facebook page, and she appears in several pictures from Abby and Joshua’s wedding.
In the documentary Joined for Life (2008), the twins’ mother revealed that her daughters, who were 16 at the time, would one day like to have children, and the girls confirmed this, saying, “Yeah, we’re going to be moms.”