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Forever Together: Conjoined Twins Kendra And Maliyah’s Inspirational Story

Ashley - July 26, 2023

To Separate, Or Not To Separate

Despite the twins defying all the odds and making it home as a healthy pair, the parents knew this period of peace couldn’t last. Like most twins, Kendra and Maliyah spent their first few years completely inseparable, but it wasn’t by choice. The twins were interconnected by vital organs, and this placed additional strain on their organs. Medical issues became frequent and worrying for the parents, who were then faced with the ultimate choice: to separate, or not to separate their daughters. The survival rate for conjoined twins who are surgically separated is only 60%, but this was a risk the parents knew they had to consider. Leaving the twins conjoined could lead to irreparable complications down the line and seriously prevent their daughters from living any sort of normal life. But surgical separation comes with a ton of potential complications and risks. It’s an impossible situation to be in for loving parents who only want the best for their daughters.

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The Parents Took Their Time To Choose

Deciding whether to risk a complicated surgery to separate their twins was not an easy choice. The Herrin family took their time and did their best to support their daughter’s mutual development in the meantime. The girls learned how to walk while using a walker, but it was clear their lives would be severely restricted if they remained conjoined. Erin and Jake sought the opinions of medical professionals from all over. They learned about the risks of leaving their twins connected as well as the multitude of risks a surgical separation presented. Ultimately, the parents knew they couldn’t wait any longer to make the choice. However, the vital organs keeping the twins connected made their choice more difficult than in other cases of conjoined twins.

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Separation Wasn’t Possible Until Age Four

Surgical separation of conjoined twins is more likely to be successful when they’re still young, but the organs Kendra and Maliyah shared made it impossible for them to receive the surgery while they were still toddlers. Among other organs, the twins shared a kidney, and this was the most problematic organ. One of the twins would have to keep the kidney, while the other twin would require a transplant. Transplanting a kidney in patients under four years old can cause serious, life-threatening complications. Most kidney donors are adults, and an adult-sized kidney wouldn’t fit comfortably or function as intended in a baby. So, despite having made their decision, the Herrin family had to wait until their girls grew a bit to get the surgery.

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The Doctors Raised Ethical Concerns About The Surgery

As if parents Jake and Erin didn’t have enough to worry about with this upcoming surgery, doctors had another concern to add to their plate. In addition to the extensive medical complications, the medical teams working on Kendra and Maliyah’s case were obligated to raise ethical concerns about the surgery. Maliyah was less likely to survive the procedure than Kendra due to the fact that she would be the twin who’d require a new kidney. Her quality of life- her very life itself- could be taken away as a result of this surgery. The twins were too young to fully understand the potential risks of this surgery and, therefore, couldn’t consent to the procedure. So, it was up to the parents to determine whether the risk was worth the reward. All parents want to do what’s in the best interest of their children, but a decision like this is difficult. Do you risk a surgery that could leave one of your daughters with a normal life but potentially risk your other daughter not surviving?

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Preparing The Twins For “Cut-Apart Day”

Ultimately, despite all the medical and ethical risks, the parents knew there was only one choice. They had to move forward with the procedure, but even once this decision was made, they still had a tough choice to make. How did they explain to their young children that they were going to be surgically separated? Kendra and Maliyah didn’t understand that it wasn’t normal for them to be connected. They’d lived their whole lives this way and couldn’t imagine things being different. The parents had to try their hardest to explain such a complicated topic to their children. Erin and Jake told their children they were going to be separated and referred to the event as “cut-apart day.” They promised their children that everything would be okay once they were separated and that their lives would change for the better.

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Creating A Positive Mindset For The Girls

Parents Erin and Jake were experiencing something most parents couldn’t even imagine going through. Despite all the medical testing and scares, the serious ethical dilemmas, and the everyday grind of taking care of six children, these parents never once lost their positive mentality. They understood the importance of creating and maintaining a positive mindset for their girls, and they went out of their way to build the girls up before their surgery. The Herrin sisters shared in an interview that they had their own playroom, dolls, and even nurse badges before the surgery. All these things were designed to build the twins’ confidence and help bring a little joy into their lives. Their parents wanted to create long-lasting, happy memories with their girls before the big day. Especially since no one could guarantee that they would be taking both girls home afterward.

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Preparing Their Physical Bodies For The Challenge

The mental preparation of maintaining a positive mindset was only half the battle for these brave girls. It was vital for Kendra and Maliyah to prepare their physical bodies for the upcoming challenge of separation. They underwent weekly procedures to stretch their skin. Despite being so young, the girls vividly remember this process. They stated in an interview, “Every week, we would get tissue expanders which were, like, little balloons that you get placed under the skin so that the skin stretches so that we would have enough skin to get closed.” This was a necessary step to prepare their bodies for the inevitable separation. Without stretching their skin in this way, the twins wouldn’t have enough skin to close their bodies after the separation. Despite the pain and invasiveness of the procedure, the girls remained strong. Their parents encouraged them to keep pushing forward in the hopes that their upcoming surgery would give them the opportunity to lead uncomplicated and well-adjusted lives.

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Creating A Lifetime Of Memories

Erin and Jake did what any set of loving parents would do in the lead-up to their daughter’s surgery. They spent every moment creating a lifetime of beautiful, happy memories. The parents packed a ton of exciting adventures and activities into the weeks leading up to the twins’ separation. This included a trip to their local zoo, a nearby pool, and even Disneyland! Despite the family’s positive mentality and the girls’ physical preparedness, the family was well-aware that the surgery might not turn out as they hoped. In the event things went wrong, they wanted memories they could fall back on of the girls living their lives to the fullest. The trips they took in the weeks leading up to the surgery brought so much joy to the family and helped fuel the fire the twins had to live. Perhaps this is one of the many reasons the twins survived the surgery. They were born into a family of fighters, and Kendra and Maliyah were prepared to beat the odds, no matter what!

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The Parents Were Terrified When The Day Arrived

The parents brought their strong, brave daughters to the hospital one week before the day of the surgery. The girls needed time to settle into the hospital environment, become comfortable, and meet their medical team. While Kendra and Maliyah adjusted to this transition with the grace of little angels, their parents remained plagued by worry, fear, and doubt. In interviews, the parents mentioned this was a period of never-ending anxiety for them. The surgery loomed ahead. It was a risky but necessary procedure that was completely out of their hands. All they could do was put their trust in the medical team and the strength of their daughters. Erin and Jake clung to each other for support and knew that, despite all their fears, it was their duty as parents to give their daughters the best chance at living the highest quality lives possible.

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One Final Adventure For The Girls

The parents needed a distraction from their anxiety and they wanted to give their girls one final adventure before they were whisked off to surgery. Of course, being in the hospital significantly limited their options, but Erin and Jake got creative. They knew that “cut-apart day” was going to be rife with stress and tension for everyone, but they also knew they didn’t want their daughters going into their surgery with their hearts full of fear. So, the parents organized a last-minute scavenger hunt in the hospital! The twins went through the hospital, finding new leads that led them deeper into the hospital until they found the final clue. Once they found this clue, the surgical team began preparing them for surgery. It was a challenging time, filled with tears, hugs, and kisses, as the parents handed their children over to the medical team.

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A Long And Daunting Operation

The operation to separate Kendra and Maliyah was a marathon that involved a ton of experienced medical professionals. The twins have spoken about their experience in various interviews over the years, and expressed that they only felt as if they were in surgery for an hour. But the operation actually lasted for a grueling twenty-six hours as a team of six skilled surgeons and twenty-five support staff members worked diligently to separate the girls. Doctors divided their liver, the bladders, and the pelvis, leaving each girl with one leg. Kendra kept the kidney, which left Maliyah with an upcoming journey she would need to take alone. However, the girls made it out of surgery better than expected, and the parents were thrilled to hear the surgery was more successful than the doctors had hoped.

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A Challenging Six-Week Recovery Period

Despite the success of the surgery, the girls still underwent a major operation and needed to remain in the hospital for a while. At first, the parents were told their girls would be in the hospital for a few months, but despite the enormous recovery challenges the girls faced, they continued to beat the odds. To Erin and Jake’s absolute delight, Kendra and Maliyah were released from the hospital after only six weeks. During their time in the hospital, Kendra and Maliyah received a ton of fan mail from their fellow residents of Salt Lake City, who’d watched the girls’ journey on the news and through talk shows for the past four years. It seems that additional positive energy helped the girls face their recovery with even more grace and strength than their parents could have hoped for, and their release day came about with grateful tears and big smiles from the whole family.

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Appreciating The Beauty Of Life

The Herrin family’s extended family rallied around for support when the girls were released. Their grandfather, Jeff Warren, came to the hospital on the day of the girls’ release. He wheeled them out in this wagon, and the girls had big smiles on their faces as they left the hospital behind. Seeing the reporters waiting for them, Maliyah called out, “Hey, everybody, it’s us!” Jeff paused to show the girls a flower from the Medical Center’s garden while reporters caught up with the parents. “This is a huge day for us, going home, “Jake Herrin said as he stood next to his wife. He continued, “We can’t believe it’s here already. We’ve been dreaming of this day for a very long time.”

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The Parents Spoke About What’s Ahead For Their Girls

Despite having survived the surgery, the parents knew there were still many challenges ahead for the girls. Immediately following their release from the hospital, the parents spoke about some of the immediate challenges the girls had to face. They needed special mattresses to lay on and had to keep up with a strict medication regime. They also needed their bandages changed three times each week, which was a job that would take two hours for Kendra and Maliyah. In addition to that, Maliyah required special nutrition through a feeding tube and needed to undergo dialysis three times a week until she could receive a donor kidney. The parents had a plan for helping their daughters gain independent mobility that involved the use of wheelchairs to a while, followed by crutches and, eventually, being fitted for prosthetic legs. There was a lot on the horizon for this little family, but on the day they arrived home from the hospital, they were just happy to celebrate this miracle with their closest friends and family.

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Learning To Walk Independently

Learning to walk independently presented a massive challenge for the twins. They’d already learned how to maneuver around as conjoined twins, and now they had to relearn how to move their bodies separately from each other. They began using wheelchairs to get around, but their parents were determined to help them learn to walk. Kendra and Maliyah underwent physical therapy where they learned to walk using crutches and walkers. It was a challenging time, but the parents frequently commented on their girls’ amazing resilience. Somehow, despite facing more difficulties in their short years than most adults experience in a lifetime, they never lost hope. They never stopped fighting to improve their situation, and the girls were an immense support to each other as the navigated the world as separate individuals.

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Maliyah Needed Two Kidney Transplants

Following the separation, Maliyah underwent dialysis until she could receive a kidney transplant. Unfortunately, this isn’t a simple process, and sometimes it doesn’t work out as expected. Maliyah received a kidney from her mother, Erin, in 2007. Both Erin and Maliyah appeared to be recovering well from their respective surgeries, and life went on for years without further complications. Sadly, in 2015, it became clear that Maliyah’s body was rejecting her transplanted kidney. Doctors tried their best to slow the rejection and prevent Maliyah from needing a second transplant, but her body continued to reject the donor organ. Thankfully, an anonymous donor was found in 2018, and Maliyah underwent her second transplant surgery. As of 2023, it appears her body is continuing to accept the new donor organ without any issues.

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Learning To Love Themselves And Each Other As Individuals

The initial adjustment was difficult for Kendra and Maliyah. They’d spent the first four years of their lives as conjoined twins, never spending a second apart. It created a sense of combined identity that was difficult for the girls to unlearn. With the support of their parents and a team of professionals, the girls began to learn to love themselves and each other as individuals. Kendra and Maliyah spoke extensively on their Youtube channel and in interviews about this period. They described the oddness of the initial period of separation and their ultimate gratitude for the difficult choice their parents made. In fact, the twins have expressed that they have such different personalities that they couldn’t imagine being forced to spend every second of every day together! Erin and Jake have expressed their pride in interviews for the well-adjusted, strong women their daughters are growing up to become. Despite all the worry, risks, and continuing medical treatments, the Herrin family is content that they made the right choice.

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Celebrating Life Together, But Separately

After their surgery, Kendra and Maliyah enjoyed the experience of celebrating life together but separately. The girls still spent most of their time together, but their newfound independence allowed them to explore their own interests. Celebrating holidays with their family became a new experience as the girls no longer relied on each other for every moment. Kendra and Maliyah celebrated the 4th of July with their family, and their mother captured this photo of them sitting together on the family’s pool diving board. The smiles on their sun-kissed faces really say it all. While they enjoyed celebrating these moments together, they enjoyed having some independence from each other even more. This photo captured a key moment in the twins’ lives as they began their journey as separate individuals.

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The Excitement Of Starting School

Starting school is an exciting period in any young girl’s life, but the excitement was even more intense for Kendra and Maliyah. As they entered middle school, they realized that this was another opportunity to gain some independence from each other. They would no longer be in the same class all day long and could instead explore their own interests and make separate friends. Erin and Jake have remarked in interviews that they noticed this was a critical time in their young daughter’s lives. The pressures and challenges of middle school were nothing compared to the overwhelming journey their girls had already faced. Kendra and Maliyah approached going to school with curiosity and a sense of adventure. They couldn’t wait to see what the world had to offer.

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Getting Around In School Wasn’t Easy

With cramped hallways, limited time to get from their lockers to their classes, and a sea of classmates to navigate through, Kendra and Maliyah faced more than the usual challenges as high schoolers. The twins still struggled with their mobility and spoke in interviews about their difficulties getting around the school building and classrooms. Thankfully, just like their parents, the twins were creative people. Occasionally, they’d use their mobility scooters to get around, but the twins also relied heavily on crutches and other methods. They used stools with wheels to help get around tight classrooms and wheeled chairs in the library. Ultimately, Kendra and Maliyah knew there was no challenge they couldn’t overcome, and they did their best to navigate the world without showing frustration for the difficulties they experienced.

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High School Was A Positive Experience For The Twins

High school can be a really difficult time. Teenagers are already dealing with a lot of challenges during their adolescent years, but Kendra and Maliyah had a unique set of difficulties that had the potential to ostracize them from their peers. Thankfully, the positive mindset their parents, Erin and Jake, instilled in them from a young age helped them navigate the world of high school. Despite their struggles with mobility and learning to be independent, Kendra and Maliyah had a positive experience during high school. The twins have said that they didn’t experience any bullying during those four years, which is a miracle in and of itself! Their positivity drew likeminded people to them and kept them afloat as they experienced the ups and downs of high school life.

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Their Bravery In School Pays Off

Kendra and Maliyah worked hard during school. Along with the usual studies, they worked hard to learn to walk and build their identities as separate people. Despite the difficulties, the twins managed to overcome all the odds. They learned to navigate around with the help of crutches and other mobility devices. They built meaningful, life-long friendships that helped them through the tough times. When Kendra and Maliyah graduated from high school, it was one of the happiest days of their parents’ lives. Their parents reflected on how they weren’t even sure if the girls would survive 24 hours after birth. Yet, they overcame that and the separation surgery and both of Maliyah’s transplants. Their graduation day was one filled with happiness and excitement for the future. But there was still another challenge the twins needed to overcome before they could enjoy their independence outside of high school.

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Learning To Drive Was A Challenge They Were Excited To Take On

Every young adult is excited and nervous to learn how to drive. It’s a pivotal moment in a young person’s life and the ultimate transition from relying on the adults in your life to relying more fully on yourself. Kendra and Maliyah spent their entire lives learning how to be mobile, and this was just the latest in a series of challenges they were determined to overcome. The girls worked hard to learn the basics of driving and then put their skills to the test on the road. Despite the unique set of challenges the previously conjoined twins faced as drivers, they managed to learn how to navigate the roads with just as much grace and confidence as they’d learned how to navigate life. It seems Kendra and Maliyah are unstoppable when they put their minds to something!

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Always Staying Positive And Moving Forward

With each new challenge the girls faced, they fell back on maintaining the positive mindset their parents instilled in them from a young age. This positivity got them through their separation surgery, learning to be mobile, learning to be independent from one other, Maliyah’s transplant surgeries, and every other obstacle the girls faced throughout their young lives. Their positivity has been a source of inspiration for the others in their lives and has shown the fans who have followed their story that it is possible to overcome anything that life throws your way. Having a positive mindset has also helped them navigate a world that isn’t always friendly to those with disabilities. This is why the twins continue to speak out about their experiences and offer their support to others going through similar challenges.

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Advocating For People With Disabilities

Kendra and Maliyah’s story was so unique and rare that it immediately drew attention from the media and the public. People have been following their story since they were born, and it has given the girls a unique platform. They use this platform to advocate for people with disabilities. The girls have spoken about the challenges they’ve faced due to their own disabilities and the importance of having open, respectful communication with people about their disabilities. Kendra and Maliyah have encouraged those living with disabilities to speak out about their experiences and needs. They’re working toward creating a more inclusive world for us all, which is yet another admirable piece of the twins’ journey.

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Where Are They Now?

The journey of the Herrin twins continues to be an inspiration as they reach new and exciting milestones. Kendra began working as a cashier in a grocery store after high school, and during this time, she attended school to obtain her phlebotomy certification. Maliyah went in a different direction. She attended Davis Technical College and recently graduated with a degree in digital media. She dreams of starting a career in graphic design. The girls celebrated their 20th birthday in 2022, and their family couldn’t be more grateful that the girls’ story has continued on such a positive, fulfilling path. Kendra and Maliyah have already proven that they have the ability to overcome anything life throws at them. They’re looking forward to the future, and we’re looking forward to seeing what other amazing things these twins accomplish!

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