The chances of having triplets is roughly 1 in 8,000. The chances of having identical triplets ranges from 1 in 60,000 to 1 in two million. The chances of having conjoined twins is 1 in 200,000 while only 5-25% of them survive. Now what are the chances of having identical triplets with a set of conjoined twins? Well... there are only two known cases.
Darla and Jeff Garrison started with a family of three boys.
They wanted to keep growing, so they fostered a set of triplets.
Darla and Jeff's one son Luke took to the girls immediately.
"I almost cried 'cause I didn't know what to think. Oh my gosh, I have sisters."
But what's so special about these girls?
Two of the three are conjoined. Only the second known case ever.
Darla and Jeff decided the girls needed to be separated.
So at nine months old, Mackenzie and Macy were going in for surgery.
The surgery would be done at the Children's Hospital in Los Angeles, performed by pediatric surgeon James Stein.
Dr. Stein said that this surgery was a dream come true, but there were lots of things that could go wrong.
The surgery would be extremely challenging.
Mackenzie and Macy had their own sets of internal organs each, but they shared a pelvis and leg.
In preparation for surgery, the sisters' skin was stretched.
The extra tissue would be used to close their wounds.
On September 10, 2003, the girls underwent a 24-hour long surgery.
It was a success, and each girl came out with a leg each.
The girls grew quickly and adapted to separated life well.
Two years after the surgery, Darla and Jeff adopted the triplets.
Twelve years later, the girls are living regular lives.
They skateboard, ride horses, and play like every other kid their age.
In the video below, you can see how the girls have grown into their separate lives yet still keep a close bond with each other and their family.
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