Abigail and Micaela, craniopagus twins joined at the head, have touched the world with their remarkable story. The twins grew up at their home in Portland, Oregon. Together, they faced an uncommon challenge, one that their condition, which occurs in only one in every 2.5 million live births. Their mother, who is from Ukraine, had been living in California. She learned of their rare condition at a regular, routine ultrasound while pregnant with triplets and parenting three other young children.
Complications Abigail and Micaela became conjoined twins, which was discovered after 10 weeks during a prenatal ultrasound by doctors and nurses. The backstory Initially, when I shared the news, it was pretty bleak – doctors told us there was little hope the twins would survive until birth. This crushing reality was hard for the entire family to bear, but especially their mother and her late husband, Anatoliy. Even with the dire outlook, hope was still very much present as they got ready for what would turn out to be a miracle.
The arrival of Abigail and Micaela was a remarkable experience in a number of ways. Over 200 medical staff worked together to guarantee all of the circumstances were ideal for the twins’ successful delivery. Two specialized teams, known as “team orange” and “team purple,” were assembled, each composed of neurologists, heart specialists, and plastic surgeons. This incredible amount of preparation further drove home the depth of their struggle and the commitment of the doctors.
In doing so, Abigail and Micaela—just 10 months old at the time—were about to take on an incredibly intimidating task. Their separation surgery was an arduous 24 hours, with 30 caring medics going above and beyond to protect the twins. As you can imagine, this operation was a major landmark—not just for the twins, but for their family as well. Their mother recalled running into the hospital in tears of joy upon seeing her daughters separated for the first time.
Yet that reunion—a few seconds of emotional relief and pure joy—was the real beginning of months to come. When she finally laid eyes on Abigail and Micaela the following day, all she could think was: “they’re perfect.” This heartfelt feeling summed up the family’s experience amid trials and tribulations through much uncertainty, yet filled with hope, abounding joy and certainly an inspiring ending.
That’s because today Abigail and Micaela, our twin daughters, turn six years old. Abigail’s alert, inquisitive personality shines through, as does Micaela’s focused, deliberate approach to the task at hand. His mother watches them stuff their faces with a sense of awe that hasn’t worn off since the first day. Though born into the most exceptional circumstances, they lead spirited, defiant lives full of joy and survival.
Their mom lives in California, where she courageously parent three– with an adventurous streak– dynamic duo. On top of that, she’s finding her way through the realities of communicating in a secondary language. Though English is her second language, a parent’s love for her daughters is a universal dialect. Their story has been the subject of inspirational talks and award-winning films, inspiring thousands with their messages of hope and determination.