Lori and George Chappelle, world’s oldest living conjoined twins, die at 62

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — George and Lori Chappelle, the world’s oldest living conjoined twins, died April 7 at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, according to their obituaries.

According to Guinness World Records, the twins were born on September 18, 1961 in West Reading, Pennsylvania, making them 62 years and 202 days old, nine years older than the second-oldest female-born conjoined twins ever recorded. It was on top. .

Lori and George were joined at the head and had separate bodies, making them skull twins. Guinness reported that their skulls were partially fused, sharing blood vessels and 30% of the brain. Lori could walk, but George had spina bifida and used a wheeled chair that Lori pushed and steered to get around.

George came out as transgender in 2007.

Before transitioning, George used the name Reba at one point, after country artist Reba McEntire.

Lori and George, alumni of the Hiram G. Andrews Center in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, previously worked at Reading Hospital.

According to the twins’ obituaries, they had lived alone since they were 24 years old.

In 1997, the pair told film director Anthony Thomas how they lived separate lives and let each other pursue their own interests. The video, published on his True Lives YouTube channel, shows the twins letting Thomas into their apartment.

Like his previous namesake Reba, George himself was a country singer. When the twins needed rehearsal time, they would go to George’s room and Lori would give him peace and quiet.

“This is her room and I’m here physically, but that’s it. This is her place,” Lori said in the video.

“I come back here and treat it like I’m at a concert, and yeah, she can’t interrupt me or talk to me while I’m performing,” George said in the documentary. I will talk about it.

“Just because we can’t stand up and walk away from each other doesn’t mean we can’t feel alone from others or ourselves,” Lori added. “People who are bonded can live very private lives.”

“If you love the person you’re with and respect them, you’re going to give them privacy and compromise in situations that you want them to have,” George added.

Lori had interests of her own and loved bowling. According to her obituary, she won several trophies.

Guinness said the twins each had their own room in the apartment, and they took turns spending the night in each room.

Lori and George were also guests on the long-running Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon, which aired on Labor Day.

They also appeared on several television talk shows and documentaries.