When Isabelle and Abby Carlsen were born in 2006, they were conjoined twins, joined from their chest down to their stomach. Their parents dreamed of giving them separate lives, but doctors warned the surgery would be extremely risky.

In Minnesota, a team of specialists trained for months to prepare for the complex operation. The girls’ abdominal organs were intertwined, and Isabelle’s heart was partially inside Abby’s chest. After a marathon surgery, the separation was a success — a moment that made headlines around the world.

Today, Isabelle and Abby live in North Dakota. They were only six months old at the time of the surgery, so they don’t remember ever being conjoined. Now teenagers, they share a close bond but couldn’t be more different in personality and style.

Once called miracle babies, the sisters are now thriving young women, living full and independent lives — a true testament to modern medicine and their own resilience.