Who were Lori and George Schappell?
Lori and George were both born in Pennsylvania in 1961, but their backgrounds and abilities differed greatly. While Lori was physically able, George had spina bifida and relied on a custom wheelchair.
In terms of interests and beliefs, George was a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a talented country musician, while Lori excelled in bowling.
Lori and George Schappell resided in a two-bedroom flat, where they each had their own area. During this time, Lori had multiple romantic relationships and was planning to tie the knot, but sadly her significant other passed away in a car accident.
In 2007, George decided to publicly reveal that he had been dealing with a gender identity disorder since childhood. He came out as transgender.
They were involved in several television documentaries, made appearances on the Howard Stern show, and were even showcased at the opening of Ripley’s Odditorium in New York City. Sadly, Lori and George passed away in 2024 at the age of 62.
In 2017, Lori and George Schappell held the title of being the oldest female conjoined twins and were reported to have shared 30% of their brain, specifically the frontal and parietal lobes. This was due to their partially fused skulls, which also resulted in shared vital blood arteries, as verified by the Guinness World Records.
The twins were born to Ruth G. (Reppert) Schappell and the late Franklin G. Schappell. They both completed their education at the Hiram G Andrews Centre and went on to work at the Reading Hospital.
In 2007, George came out as transgender and began identifying as a man, making him and his conjoined twin the world’s first pair of conjoined twins of the same sex to have different gender identities.
Medical Challenges
Despite medical experts predicting that Lori and George Schappell would not live past 30 years old, they proved them wrong when they surpassed the 53-year-old Masha and Dasha Krivoshlyapova in 2015, becoming the oldest conjoined twins in history.
George was a country singer who traveled throughout the United States, while Lori was a skilled bowler who had won numerous trophies. George had also showcased his talents in Germany and Japan.
While Lori was able-bodied, George needed a wheelchair due to his spina bifida. They used to coordinate their schedules based on each other’s choices.
Despite encountering various difficulties, Lori and George Schappell strived to lead distinctive lives. They resided together in a two-bedroom apartment, each with their own room where they rotated spending nights.
As recognized by the Guinness World Record, they maintained separate shower schedules and made sure to participate in each other’s interests.
Cause of Death
According to online obituaries and Guinness World Records, Lori and George Schappell, who were recognized as the world’s oldest conjoined twins, passed away at the age of 62 on Friday. TMZ, an entertainment website, reported that the siblings died at a Pennsylvania hospital. The specific reason for their passing has not been revealed.
Guinness World Records took to social media to break the news of the twins’ passing.
“Guinness World Records are saddened to learn of the passing of Lori and George Schappell, the world’s oldest conjoined twins. George enjoyed a successful career as a country singer, whilst Lori was a trophy-winning ten-pin bowler.”
