Emily and Caitlin Copeland were having a big celebration for their 18th birthday and they definitely had a reason to celebrate as they were overjoyed with the success of a separation surgery that allowed them to lead independent lives. Emily and Caitlin were born conjoined twins. 

“I think for anyone it’s exciting to get to 18, but in particular for us I think it’s just a really big blessing that we got to 18, considering what could have happened,” Caitlin said. Crystal, the twins mother, remembers the day when she learned she was pregnant with conjoined twins, a once in ever 200,000 births and only a 35% chance of survival. This was also back in 1996, when technology was not as advanced as it is today. 

Because the girls shared several organs, the surgery only happened much later on after the twins were beginning to try to learn to crawl. Today they are beautiful 18 year old young women.