It’s been 22 years since TikTok user Gabrielle “Gabby” Garcia and her sister Micheala entered the world as a rare set of conjoined twins. Since then, Gabby has lived a unique life marked with challenges, including the loss of her sister. These days, however, the young woman is taking to TikTok by answering questions about her incredible journey.
Posting as @oneleggabby, Garcia first gained attention on the site back in September, when she opened up about being a conjoined twin.
“Me and my sister were literally stuck together,” Garcia wrote in captions in one video, which has since garnered nearly 10,000 likes. “When we were separated, she got one leg and I got the other!”
Garcia and her sister Micheala were born joined at the hip on February 10, 1998. Eight months later, surgeons separated the pair in a 12-hour procedure. However, their bond remained close.
“We would know what it was like to live as individuals,” Garcia wrote in captions. “But she was still me. And I was still her.”
“It Doesn’t Get Any Easier”
While the two remained best friends for years, tragedy struck when both sisters were 13. In a pair of TikTok posts, Garcia explained how delayed complications from their separation surgery landed both girls in the hospital in 2011. While Gabby ultimately recovered, Micheala sadly passed away.
“Its been almost 9 years, and it doesn’t get any easier,” Gabby said.
In spite of her life’s challenges, Garcia now maintains a positive attitude. In a series of TikTok posts, the 22-year-old answered some of the often bizarre questions sent by commenters, demonstrating a wicked sense of humor.
Garcia’s trials haven’t come to an end yet. The TikToker recently told the East Idaho News that she has been diagnosed with a brain tumor unrelated to being a conjoined twin. However, her newest challenge hasn’t dampened her optimism.
“There’s a saying that I always go by,” she said. “‘It’ll all be OK in the end, and if it’s not OK, then it’s not the end.’ I always live my life by that. I’m like, ‘This is just a mountain you’re going over right now, and it’s going to be OK.'”
