Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Oldest living male conjoined twins - world
record set by Donnie and Ronnie Galyon
DAYTON, Ohio, USA -- Siamese twin brothers Donnie
and Ronnie Galyon, 58, are joined at the torso; they
have four arms and four legs and separate hearts and stomachs
, setting the world record for the Oldest
living male conjoined twins.
Photo: Conjoined twin brothers Ron, left
and Don Galyon relax at their home in Dayton, Ohio. They are
the world's
oldest living male conjoined twins. / AP photo by Jim
Noelker, Dayton Daily News (enlarge
photo)
The Oldest
living male conjoined twins live in a tiny home in
Dayton, Ohio. Their brother Jim Gaylon lives in nearby Beavercreek.
Donnie and Ronnie Galyon are listed in the
Book of World Records and also in the Guinness Book of World
Records. They're joined at the torso. They have four arms
and four legs and separate hearts and stomachs. They share
a lower intestine.
The twins retired from a touring carnival.
They are in declining health with the toll of arthritis wearing
on them and could face going into an institution.
But their brother Jim says he wants to keep them
at home so they're free and independent.
“I’ve told them I’ll do whatever I can to
keep them free and independent,” Jim said. “This still keeps
them free and independent.”
A charity in Machias, New York, called
the Christian
Youth Corps Inc. says it's helping 58-year-old Donnie
and Ronnie Galyon by modifying the home of their brother,
Jim Galyon, in the spring.
Peter J. Andrews, the founder and
president of the group, said he has enlisted the help of local
contractors, an architect who specializes in designing homes
for the disabled and many individuals. “Let’s put them with
a loving family and enable and empower the family to take
care of their own,” Andrews said.
Christian
Youth Corps. Inc. will supervise and fund a project
that will create door widths able to accommodate the two.
Also, a system will be constructed to hoist the brothers into
and out of bed, the shower and other locations.
The Galyon brothers also will get a new wheelchair
and a new bed.
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Related world records: Human
Body world records
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
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