Conjoined twins cut in half at 4 now have one leg each and ‘feel like everyone else’

Kendra and Maliyah Herrin were separated in a world first operation 13 years ago and now their story features in BBC Three documentary, Living Differently

Twins Kendra and Maliyah Herrin are your typical teenage girls.

They love spending time with friends and sharing their fun lives on social media.

But the 17-year-old sisters were born conjoined twins and became world first pioneers when they were ‘cut in half when they were just four.

But for Kendra and Maliyah they just feel like everyone else.

Kendra said: “When people first hear our story, they like to ask a lot of questions – but simply we feel like we’re the same as everybody else, we just have a few things that are different.”

The sisters, who were born conjoined, shared an abdomen, pelvis, liver, large intestine and two legs.

When their parents made the brave decision to separate their daughters it was the first time an operation of the kind had been carried out.

Aged just four the 18 hour surgery took place on August 7, 2006.

It was the first time surgeons had ever separated conjoined twins who shared one kidney and months of preparation had to be done before the operation could be carried out.

Following the difficult separation doctors then operated on each twin separately for another eight hours, where they were fitted with titanium rods into their spines.

The girls’ parents, Erin and Jake, made the difficult decision to go ahead with the procedure after being warned their daughters had a short life expetancy because of their shared kidney.

Speaking to BBC Three documentary, Living Differently, Maliyah said: “Our parents talked to us about ‘cut apart day’ but we were so young we didn’t really understand what was happening.”

Kendra and Maliyah spent just over a month in hospital before being allowed home.

Kendra was given the girls’ only kidney while he sister went onto dialysis following the surgery.

Their mum donated one of her kidneys to her daughter but sadly, 10 years after the transplant it failed and Maliyah had to go back onto dialysis.

Mum Erin said: “She just took it in her stride. She had to deal with the loss of her friends and I’m amazed at how well she did.”

Maliyah had her second kidney transplant last year and so far it has been successful.

And despite only having one leg each, the girls refuse to let it hold them back.

Both incredibly determined they are having regular gruelling gym sessions to build up heir strength so they can use crutches all the time.

They get around using crutches, a wheelchair or crawling and pulling themselves up on furniture.

Kendra and Maliyah, from Salt Lake City in Utah, the US, have a lot of friends and enjoy school.

Maliyah said: “We’re lucky and we’ve never been bullied at school but I know a lot of people aren’t that lucky.”

Just like any other teenagers the twins still have to do their daily chores, which includes one of them making dinner each night.

And while they share a close bond with their parents, siser and younger twin brothers, Kendra and Maliyah spend the most time with each other.

They have a huge social media following with their own blog, YouTube channel and Instagram account, which have thousands of followers.

Mum Erin said: “They are so excited when people respond to them.

“Their self-esteem blows me away, people could learn a lot from them.”

Kendra added: “We like making the videos just to make people feel positive and we like sharing our world.”

Even though they are identical twins, the girls don’t believe they look alike and have very different personalities.

Kendra is the more outgoing of the pair, who are an inspiration to their friends.

School pal Annabelle said: “I don’t know that I could go through what they have been through. I’m so proud of what they’ve accomplished.”

The thing the girls find hardest to deal with when adults stare at them because “they should know not to”..

But Kendra joked: “The best thing about only having one leg is we only have to paint on set of toenails.”