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Taking a Look at the Miraculous Conjoined Twins Years Later - Sneaker Toast
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TAKING A LOOK AT THE MIRACULOUS CONJOINED TWINS YEARS LATER

By Polly Rosie - 8/16/22

This article appeared in Brain-sharper and has been published here with
permission.



The Showstoppers

Abby and Brittany Hensel are two very different girls with one big thing in
common- they share the same body. The conjoined twins have been tackling every
challenge that’s come their way since birth, and doing it all with smiles on
their faces. When they were born, a doctor told their parents that he didn’t
expect them to live until the next morning. Since their time on TLC, the twins
have graduated from college, moved away from home, and even joined the
work-force. The only question in our minds is what’s next for these
over-achievers? They miraculously survived and have continued to exceed
expectations since birth.


THE SHOWSTOPPERS

Abby and Brittany Hensel became internationally famous with TLC's 2012 reality
show Abby & Brittany.

The Showstoppers


The show portrayed the conjoined twins in a positive light, showing the world
that despite their different appearances, they are just as capable and
fun-loving as any other teen. Where they are now is quite stunning...




LIFE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Although TLC's Abby & Brittany wasn't released until August 2012, the Hensel
twins have been no strangers to the public eye, having appeared in popular media
sources since the mid-90's.

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Life In The Spotlight

Their first experience with fame came on an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show in
1996, followed shortly by a cover feature in Life Magazine under the caption
"One Body, Two Souls." The article, titled The Hensels' Summer, described the
twins' day-to-day life and was followed up just two years later.




OPRAH

While today the twins don't remember too much about the time Oprah Winfrey
invited them onto her show over twenty years ago, the rest of the world still
does.

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Oprah


Their appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show was really the first time the
conjoined twins were exposed to such a large audience. Their story resinated
with millions of Americans from all over the country and marked the beginning of
a new chapter of fame, recognition, and popularity in the girls' lives.




TELEVISION CELEBRITIES

In 2002, the twins appeared on television for the first time in Joined For Life,
a documentary created by Advanced Medical Productions and shown on the Discovery
Health Channel, and again in a 2003 follow up called Joined At Birth.

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Television Celebrities

In 2003, Life, along with Time published an updated story of the twins at age
11. In 2006, TLC put out their first television special about the twins called
Joined For Life: Abby and Brittany Turn 16, and in 2007, they appeared in the UK
series, Extraordinary People.





GROWING UP TOGETHER

Abby and Brittany were born in Carver County, Minnesota to Patty, a registered
nurse, and Mike Hensel, a carpenter and landscaper. They grew up with a younger
brother and sister in New Germany, Minnesota.

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Growing Up Together


Their childhood was full of struggles and challenges. The simplest of tasks that
other children take for granted were extremely difficult for the conjoined twins
to master. Because each twin only has control of half of their shared body, even
crawling took a while to perfect.




DOUBLE BIRTHDAY SURPRISE

On March 7th, 1990, two beautiful babies came into this world with just one
body. During Patty Hensel's pregnancy, pre-natal scans had shown just one baby.

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Double Birthday Surprise

So when Patty gave birth to Dicephalus conjoined twins, it came as a huge shock
to both parents. The twins had just a one in thirty million chance of living
past the first twenty-four hours and the option of separation was quickly taken
out of the equation because their body was so closely linked.




SUCCESS STORIES

Make no mistake about it - Abby and Brittany's story is nothing short of
remarkable. It was clear as crystal though early on in their lives that it would
be medically impossible to successfully separate them.

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Success Stories


However, where the Hensel twins were unable to have such a successful feat
performed on them, other conjoined twins were much more fortunate. On many
occasions, separations have often costed the life of at least one twin, but
there have been numerous success stories where both have survived...




MEET KENDRA & MALIYAH

One of the most notable successful separations in recent memory came a few years
ago when conjoined twins Kendra and Maliyah Herrin underwent surgical
separation.

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Meet Kendra & Maliyah

They became the first set of conjoined twins ever to be separated while sharing
a kidney. In order to successfully complete the procedure, Kendra kept the
kidney they had once shared, while Maliyah received dialysis until she received
a kidney from a donor. Of course, this isn't the way that Abby and Brittany's
story was going to go.




THEY SHARED A LIVER, PANCREAS & INTESTINES

Another incredible case that was successful against all the odds involved a pair
of conjoined twins from the Dominican Republic.

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They Shared A Liver, Pancreas & Intestines


Maria and Teresa Tapia's hopes of separating were extremely slim as they were
attached by their lower chests and abdomens. This made them omphalopagus, which
meant that they shared a liver, a pancreas and even part of their small
intestine. However, when they were just a year and a half old, the twins were
successfully separated.




NOT EVERYTHING IS SHARED

The Hensel twins' parents always made an effort to instill in their children a
sense of individualism and independence, pushing both Abby and Brittany to
develop their own personalities and become their own person.

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Not Everything Is Shared

They have also pushed the twins to step outside their comfort zones, and try new
things, whether it's a new sport or musical instrument. Discipline has proved
rather difficult for the parents of the twins, considering it's not exactly fair
to punish both sisters for something only one of them did.




TWINNING

Twins are formed from one of two ways. Either a woman releases two eggs instead
of one, or she produces one egg which goes on to divide after fertilization.

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Twinning


Conjoined twins are formed when a woman produces a single egg which doesn't
separate after fertilization. The embryo begins to grow and develop and begins
to divide into identical twins during the first weeks following conception but
the process is cut short, leaving a partially divided egg which develops into a
conjoined fetus.




SHARING IS CARING

Abby and Brittany have two separate hearts, two pairs of  lungs, two spines
which connect to a shared pelvis, two esophagi, three kidneys, one ribcage, one
liver, a semi-shared nervous system and a fully-shared circulatory system.

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Sharing Is Caring

From their waist down, everything is shared including the reproductive system,
intestines and bladder. Each twin can only feel sensations on their respective
sides of their body. Abby and Brittany were actually born with three arms but
the third arm was surgically removed shortly after birth.




THE PRICE OF FAME

After their appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show at the age of six, the twins
lived out somewhat normal lives for ten years until TLC took on their story in
2006.

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The Price Of Fame


Since then, the twins have gained a fair share popularity, often being
recognized in public. As a friend of the twins put it, "Everywhere they go, they
get the stares." While the twins appreciate a friendly hello from fans, they
really can't stand when people stop and stare or take photos without asking
permission.




TEAMWORK IS KEY

Abby and Brittany are conjoined twins with a rare medical condition called
dicephalic parapagus. The twins share a single body with separate heads and
necks. Each twin controls one side of their conjoined body.

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Teamwork Is Key

This means that even the most basic of physical tasks like walking, running,
riding a bicycle, or swimming need to be well-rehearsed cooperative efforts. The
twins have always welcomed new challenges though, and continue to live normal
active lives, working together every step of the way.




THE ORIGINAL HILTONS

Before Abby and Brittany, there was Daisy and Violet Hilton. These British
conjoined twins were born in 1908.

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The Original Hiltons


Like the Hensel twins, these sisters shared everything and were always in the
spotlight, traveling Europe and the United States from a young age and
eventually ending up in the vaudeville and American burlesque circuits in the
1920s and 1930s. Later in life, both sisters married gay men, a move which many
believed to have been a publicity stunt. The twins died just before their 61st
birthday.




MIRACLE TWINS

Just one in every 200,000 live births results in a set of conjoined twins. Once
born, their chances of survival are between 5 and 25 percent.

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Miracle Twins

The Hensel girls are also the rarest form of conjoined twins, the result of a
single fertilized egg failing to separate. In fact, upon birth, Abby and
Brittany's parents were told their babies wouldn't survive 24 hours. 27 years
later here they are, living happy and healthy lives, and proving just how
extraordinary they truly are.




CONJOINED FACTS

Sadly, about 40 to 60 percent of conjoined twins are stillborn at birth and 35
percent don't make it past their first 24 hours.

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Conjoined Facts


Conjoined twins are always of the same gender, and for an unknown reason,
females have a much better survival rate. One of the first ever documented cases
of conjoined twins dates all the way back to the year 1100 in Biddenton, County
of Kent, England. Mary and Eliza Chulkhurst were born as conjoined twins and
lived to be 34 years old.




EXPERIENCING SICKNESS ALONE

While Abby and Brittany Hensel may share vital organs, they actually will get
sick independent of one another. For example, Brittany once suffered a pretty
severe childhood pneumonia while Abby remained completely healthy.

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Experiencing Sickness Alone

As a matter of fact, when Brittany was feeling too sick to take her medication,
Abby even tried taking the medication to cure her sister. Such sisterly love
these two share! The only exception to this strange phenomenon is stomach aches,
which are felt in the opposite twin's stomach.




ONE BODY, TWO WALKS

Despite having lived attached to one another for 27 years, the conjoined twins
are two entirely separate people with different preferences with regards to
food, clothes, and even sleep schedules.

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One Body, Two Walks


In addition, each twin each has her own distinctive walk, which can appear as a
slight limp. Brittany has the tendency to walk a bit more on her toes while Abby
has more of a flat gait. This difference has caused Brittany's calf muscle to be
slightly more developed and muscular.




MULTIPLE PERSONALITIES

Growing up with siblings can be challenging enough living in separate rooms, let
alone sharing a body. Abby and Brittany have learned to live and function
together on a daily base, rarely arguing, despite having two entirely separate
personalities.

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Multiple Personalities

The twins' mother has described Abby as energetic and someone who enjoys being
in charge, even stating that growing up she wanted "to rule the whole house."
Abby is also very outspoken and enjoys hanging out at home, while Brittany, is
happy-go-lucky, soft-spoken and enjoys going out.




TWICE THE STYLE

It is no surprise that with separate personalities comes separate fashion
senses. Whether its clothes, shoes, or accessories, Abby and Brittany Hensel
have discovered a number unique ways to express their own individual tastes and
look great while doing so!

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Twice The Style


The twins have special hand-made tops with two separate necklines, each
reflecting their respective styles. Sometimes the girls will wear pants with two
separately colored legs or even different shoes on each foot. There is certainly
no shortage of creativity with these two!




PICKY EATERS

One of the more difficult challenges for Abby and Brittany has been adapting to
two entirely separate appetites. If one twin wants to eat before the other twin
is hungry, a compromise has to be made in order for both sisters to be equally
satisfied.

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Picky Eaters

When they sit down for a meal, they will eat from two separate plates, one twin
holding the fork and the other holding the knife. When eating, they take turns,
going bite for bite until both twins have finished.




BABY STEPS

What now appears as well-choreographed routine efforts, once took the Hensel
twins quite a bit of time to master. A big struggle for the girls at a young age
was learning to crawl and walk.

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Baby Steps


Although it took the Hensel twins a bit longer than most toddlers, they
eventually were able to sync their movements and learn to move symmetrically and
simultaneously. Fast-forward a few years and the twins can now swim, ride a
bike, drive a car, and perform lots of other complex tasks.




TWO ATHLETES IN ONE

While tasks such as clapping, crawling, and walking were once a challenge for
Abby and Brittany, the twins have now exceeded expectations and taken on a
number of activities which are difficult even for able-bodied individuals.

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Two Athletes In One

The twins are athletic, enjoying bowling, cycling, softball and swimming. They
were even on their high school's volleyball team. A friend once praised their
efforts in an interview, sharing that they never quit and never wanted to be
treated different from anyone else on the team.




MULTI-TALENTED TWINS

On top of athletic, we can also add musically talented to the twins' impressive
repertoire. Abby and Brittany have dazzled friends and family and left doctors
puzzled with their amazing piano skills.

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Multi-Talented Twins


Considering that most conjoined twins don't survive into adulthood, Abby and
Brittany's special talents are nothing short of miraculous. With Abby playing
the right-hand parts and Brittany taking the left hand parts, the girls are able
to demonstrate incredible coordination and timing when they make music. Is there
anything these girls can't do?




PROPOSED SEPARATION

The idea of separating the conjoined twins has only come up twice. The first
time was following the twins' birth, and was quickly rejected by their parents.
Because a separation procedure would likely kill or permanently handicap one of
the twins, the risk was simply not worth it.

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Proposed Separation

The second time was after Brittany had fallen ill with pneumonia as a child and
Abby, bed-ridden and bored, claimed she wanted to separate. Brittany then cried
terribly and Abby promised her they would never part.




MEDICAL CONCERNS

Although the twins have remained in good health, they have had numerous
operations and medical concerns throughout their lives. Shortly after birth,
they underwent an operation to remove a third arm, and have also needed surgery
to stop unnecessary spinal growth, correct scoliosis, and expand their chest
cavity.

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Medical Concerns


While there have only been four sets of conjoined twins like the Hensel's who
have survived into adulthood, doctors remain optimistic as they have yet to find
congenital heart defects or organ abnormalities.




SWEET SIXTEEN

In the 2006 TLC special, Joined for Life: Abby and Brittany Turn 16, we watched
the Hensel twins conquer typical teenage challenges and navigate through social
issues in high school.

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Sweet Sixteen

One of the biggest milestones featured in the show was the twins taking their
drivers license test for the first time. Although they operate the vehicle as a
team, with each twin controlling the steering wheel with one arm, the twins each
took the test and received two separate licenses.




NEED FOR SPEED

One might think that driving would surely be out of the question for Abby and
Brittany, considering that each twin is unable to feel sensation on opposite
sides of their body.

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Need For Speed


But in reality, the girls know what they're doing behind the wheel. "I think
we're good drivers," the girls said in unison during a clip from the 2012
reality show. When they hit the road, Abby takes control of the gas while
Brittany operated the turn signal. Both girls work together to steer.




ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING

Abby and Britney have truly done their best to live out normal lives, bringing
good vibes and a great mindset with them every step of the way.

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Attitude Is Everything

The twins attended college at Bethel University in St. Paul where they took
classes together, studied together, and shared a big circle of close friends,
all of whom admire the twins for their incredibly positive outlook on life.
Their contagious, good attitude will surely follow them wherever they choose to
take their lives.




THE ART OF COMPROMISE

One of the most difficult challenges siblings is getting along, especially
during childhood and adolescence. Just about every brother or sister has gone
through phases of days or weeks where they simply can't stand each other.

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The Art Of Compromise


Fortunately for the Hensel twins, they rarely argue and almost never fight. In
an interview, Abby stated, "When it comes to decisions, there are compromises we
have to make... We want to work it out so each of us is happy and we find a
happy medium."




PARENTAL GUIDANCE

The Hensel twins are a remarkable case of kids growing up under extremely
abnormal circumstances, with their medical condition as well as a constant media
presence, and ending up with what we would consider to be very normal and
fulfilling lives as they enter young adulthood.

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Parental Guidance

This is all thanks to their parents, who always tried to instill within them
wholesome values and encourage them to pursue their dreams. Abby and Brittany
continue to astonish their mom and dad, who have believed in them from day one!




LEARNING CURVE

Abby and Brittany Hensel have always excelled in school. From an early age they
learned how to work together and play to each others strengths and weaknesses.

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Learning Curve


For instance, Abby has always loved math while Brittany has enjoyed writing.
Perhaps the most impressive of their abilities, the girls are able to type out
emails and assignments without verbal communication because they can anticipate
each other's feelings. Although the twins have claim they cannot read each
others' minds, we have our suspicions.




BIG DECISIONS

While Brittany and Abby could have chosen to either not go to college at all, or
take only online courses, they have never been the type to opt for the easy way
out.

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Big Decisions

They've spent their whole lives beating the odds and welcoming challenges so why
should a college education be any different? They knew that, no matter what,
they were going to go to college, even if that meant challenging themselves to a
difficult schedule, curriculum, and overall change in lifestyle.




TAKING ON COLLEGE TOGETHER

After graduating high school in 2008, our favorite conjoined twins moved on to
their next challenge at Bethel University, where they majored in education.

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Taking On College Together


Initially, the girls considered picking separate concentrations within the major
but the school wouldn't allow for the excessive amount of coursework. Abby and
Brittany worked extremely hard in college and graduated in 2012, receiving two
separate diplomas for their efforts. Time after time, these smart and talented
sisters accomplish the impossible. We wonder what's next for them!




SEEING THE WORLD

After college, the girls traveled with some college friends to Europe. Because
of their complex medical history, traveling is not a simple task. They needed to
bring along prescriptions for anything they would potentially need.

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Seeing The World

The girls flew with separate passports but only purchased one seat on the
flight. While traveling and sightseeing, the girls learned to deal with big
crowds of people and their sometimes-rude reactions to conjoined twins. While
annoying, the girls have learned to take everything in stride and refuse to let
something ruin a whole day.




LEAVING THE NEST

Upon returning from their Europe vacation, Abby and Brittany began preparations
to move out of their parents' house, a whole knew adventure for girls with its
own unique set of challenges.

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Leaving The Nest


As the twins get older, they continue to prove that they are more than capable
of taking on life as independent, mature adults. Living away from home will
definitely not be an easy task but the girls are ready to take on anything and
support each other through every endeavor.




MOVING ON UP

Moving into their first apartment of their own marked a huge milestone for Abby
and Brittany, but of course the move didn't come without a fair share of
difficulties and struggles.

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Moving On Up

For starters, moving in itself can be a toiling and physically exhausting ordeal
for anyone, let alone conjoined twins. In addition, the girls transitioned to a
long term living situation where they were without the help and support of their
loving and caring parents for the first time ever.




TEACHING WITH TEAMWORK

Abby and Brittany are now 5th grade teachers at Mounds View Public Schools.
Teaching, like everything in their lives, is all about teamwork. Both twins
teach in their own dynamic way and they work off of one another.

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Teaching With Teamwork


One advantage of having conjoined teachers is that they can answer two separate
questions at the same time. They also have an extra pair of eyes to spot any
disruptive behavior and ensure that their classroom is a productive environment.
We bet nothing gets by this duo!




CLEARING THE AIR

As you could imagine, teaching elementary school could be a struggle for Abby
and Brittany. Children, especially, are not used to seeing conjoined twins.
Concerns arose that the kids would behave inappropriately around the girls.

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Clearing The Air

When the twins arrived at the school, they held an open forum to answer any
questions the kids might have. After the open forum, the girls began teaching
and haven't had any issues since. As teachers, the girls serve as examples for
the kids, proving that they can overcome any challenge.




TWO TEACHERS, ONE PAYCHECK

The one issue that the conjoined twins hope to address in the coming years is
their salary. Together, the girls possess two separate degrees and two separate
teaching certificates.

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Two Teachers, One Paycheck


However, because they can only manage one classroom at a time, they are only
compensated with the salary of one teacher. After a few more years of
experience, the twins would like to try to renegotiate. But for now, the girls
are content knowing they are living out their dream and making a difference.




DREAMS FOR THE FUTURE

The Hensel twins have expressed their desire to one day settle down, get
married, and have children, which is entirely anatomically possible, and has
prompted a whole slew of inappropriate questions, speculations, and rumors from
the media. In 2010, a false report of Brittany's engagement circulated the
internet.

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Dreams For The Future

When asked about the rumor, the twins laughed it off, claiming it was just "a
dumb joke." For the time being, the twins aren't too concerned with marriage or
children but who knows what the future holds!




FRIENDS FLEE RESTAURANT WITHOUT PAYING, THEN SEND THE OWNER A LETTER

By Susie Green -






HE COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT THEY WROTE

Running a restaurant is no easy task. Despite this, Apollo always took a lot of
pride in his Middlesbrough-based restaurant Kilimandjaro. This is one owner who
always treated his staff with respect and that also applied to his customers.
However, when three guys from out of town showed up for some chicken, they ended
up fleeing the restaurant without paying.  Apollo was angry by their behavior,
and later received a letter from them...

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He Couldn't Believe What They Wrote




HIS BELOVED RESTAURANT

For soccer fans who went to watch Middlesbrough F.C. play during the weekend,
Kilimandjaro was a popular place to go for some food after the game. One of its
trademark dishes was the Waka Waka Chicken. Despite the busy weekends, Apollo
and the team were especially taken aback when three guys from out of town showed
up, and then left without paying...

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His Beloved Restaurant



A NORMAL WEEKEND

For the first few hours of that busy weekend shift, everything seemed normal for
Apollo and his Kilimandjaro team. Customers were coming in their droves and
service was like clockwork that day. Truth be told, Apollo wasn't even in. He
was enjoying himself with his family, and completely oblivious to the ongoings
of his restaurant. Little did he know that something completely unexpected was
about to go down and he'd be receiving a pretty awkward phone call from the
manager...

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A Normal Weekend




THREE GUYS SHOWED UP

Midway through that busy weekend shift, three guys walked through the
restaurant's doors and were clearly interested in sitting down and eating some
food. There's a good chance that they were supporters of the away team and were
from out of town. At least, the staff could tell that their accents were a
little different. It didn't take long before a waiter attended to their needs
and took their orders. Everything seemed to be going according to plan...

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Three Guys Showed Up



THEY ENJOYED THEIR LUNCH

It's always a risk just walking into a restaurant you're unfamiliar with and
placing an order. However, the three friends were glad they had chosen
Kilimandjaro. Two of the friends enjoyed the Waka Waka Chicken with cheese while
the other had Waka Waka Chicken without cheese. Based on the lack of
conversation, the staff could tell that these three guys were loving every bite.
Fast-forward half an hour later, and the three friends were ready to get the
check...

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They Enjoyed Their Lunch




WHAT'S THAT SAUCE?

One of the things that the friends couldn't get over was the sauce that they saw
on the table they were eating at. Upon first glance, they noticed that the logo
and colors of the bottle resembled sauce from another famous chicken restaurant
- Nando's. However, as soon as they tasted it, they noticed that it very much
had a unique flavor and just like that, they carried on enjoying their delicious
meal. Now it was time to pay...

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What's that Sauce?



WE DON'T ACCEPT CARD

The three friends were ready to pay for their food. In total, the food came to
£35, which is the equivalent of about $43. As the waiter proceeded to their
table, Tom, Alex, and Harry reached out for their credit cards and handed them
over. But they weren't prepared at all when the waiter told them that they only
take cash. The waiter then went to take orders from another table. However, the
three friends had other plans...

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We Don't Accept Card




THEY GOT UP AND LEFT

As the waiter returned to their table to receive their cash payment, they were
shocked to see that the table was empty. It turns out that Tom, Alex, and Harry
had simply got up from their table and fled the restaurant. They had failed to
pay for their food and just like that, they never returned. Naturally, the
waiter had no choice but to call up Apollo and needless to say, he was not
happy...

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They Got Up And Left



HE WAS CONFUSED

As soon as the waiter explained to Apollo what had happened, he was completely
confused. He didn't understand how in this day and age, a group of friends could
just go into a restaurant, place their orders, eat the food and then walk away
without paying. The truth is that Apollo has been on a long journey over the
course of his life and his seen a lot of twists and turns. But this was one of
the craziest ones yet...

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He Was Confused




FROM THE LAND OF HONEST PEOPLE

In an interview with Gazette Live, Apollo explained that his country of birth,
Burkina Faso, literally translates into "The Land of Honest People." Having
spent his formative years in the West African country, Apollo has always placed
huge importance on the virtue of honesty and took that value with him when he
moved to the United Kingdom years ago. As far as Apollo was concerned, he had no
other choice but to take some desperate measures...

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From The Land Of Honest People



TAKING EXTREME MEASURES

Due to his reputation as an honest man, Apollo had strong feelings about what
had happened at his restaurant. In fact, he admitted to having lost some of his
faith in humanity after the incident. Therefore, in order to ensure that this
didn't happen again, he advised his staff members that if this sort of thing
ever happened again, that they should make sure that the customers stay until
they pay. Despite feeling bitter, Apollo held onto hope that the customers would
return...

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Taking Extreme Measures




HE LOST HOPE

A couple of days passed, and there was still no sign that the three guys would
ever return to pay for their food. Apollo made sure to be at the restaurant at
all times in case Tom, Alex, and Harry ever returned. The owner's hopes of them
returning got smaller with each passing day. However, while conducting some
business in his office, Apollo was surprised to see one of his staff run in and
present him something...

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He Lost Hope



MYSTERIOUS ENVELOPE

As the waiter ran in, he explained to Apollo that he had a letter for him that
he needed to read immediately. It was clear that the staff member had already
looked at the contents of the letter and was desperate for Apollo to see what
was inside. Intrigued by what it could be, the owner wasted no time and snatched
the envelope from his waiter's hands. However, as soon as he opened up the
envelope, he was blown away by what fell out of it...

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Mysterious Envelope




50 BUCKS!

As he opened the envelope, Apollo was shocked to find £40 (approximately $50) in
notes fall out onto his desk. "We open the envelope, there's some money," the
owner told Gazette Live. It soon became clear that the money had been sent by
Tom, Alex, and Harry - the three guys who had fled the restaurant just a few
days beforehand. Shocked by what he had received, Apollo was in for another
surprise when he discovered a letter inside the envelope...

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50 Bucks!



WE'RE SORRY

From the moment he started reading the letter, it was clear to Apollo that all
three of the friends were sincerely sorry for having left the restaurant without
paying for their food. "It is my companions' and [my] sincerest apologies...we
forgot to pay our bill," one of them wrote. "It was very unlike us, which is why
we are very remorseful." Despite this, Apollo wasn't convinced that they were
being genuine. Then they went on to explain what had happened that day...

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We're Sorry




WE WANTED TO PAY

Despite giving no indication that they were planning on paying for their food
that day, the three friends reassured Apollo that they genuinely wanted to. They
just didn't have any cash on them. They explained that they wanted to pay by
card, but were eventually told that the restaurant only accepts cash payment.
This explained why they went out of the restaurant without notice. They wanted
to get some cash. However, things didn't go exactly according to plan...

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We Wanted To Pay



THEY WENT TO LOOK FOR AN ATM

After being told by the waiter that the restaurant doesn't take cards, the three
friends decided to rush out of the restaurant and look for the closest ATM
machine. They even claimed to have agreed with a member of staff to go out and
get cash from a machine and come back as quickly as possible. "We then exited
Kilimanjaros to embark on a search," they wrote. Although they looked all over
for one, they were forced to focus their attentions elsewhere...

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They Went To Look For An ATM




THEY HAD A TRAIN TO CATCH

Despite spending the next half an hour looking for an ATM, the three friends
realized that the last train back home was about to depart. "This diverted our
attention away from finding an A.T.M. machine and led to us running down to the
train station and just making our train," they wrote. It was only then that the
group realized they had forgotten to pay the check. By that time they were miles
away from Middlesbrough, and it was too late...

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They Had A Train To Catch



WE'RE NOT FROM 'ROUND HERE

The fact that they lived in another part of the country also explained why they
were writing a letter to Apollo and not coming all the way back to the
restaurant to pay him in person. Apparently, because they weren't from
Middlesbrough, they wouldn't be able to come back to the restaurant and
apologize the way they'd hope to. They weren't sure when they'd be returning to
Kilamandjaro and wanted to pay them as soon as possible...

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We're Not From 'Round Here




WE LOVE YOUR RESTAURANT

While it was humbling for Apollo to read the group's explanation, that wasn't
all they shared with him. Tom, Alex, and Harry also explained to him that they
enjoyed their time at Kilimandjaro so much, they wanted to give the restaurant a
five-star review. They claimed that they would get on TripAdvisor as soon as
possible and write something extremely favorable. As soon as he finished reading
the letter and placed it on his desk, he wasn't sure how to react...

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We Love Your Restaurant



THEY RESTORED HIS FAITH IN HUMANITY

In Apollo's words, he was "absolutely gobsmacked" after reading the letter. "It
was really, really surprising [and] shocking when we first received the letter,"
he said. As far as he was concerned, the owner couldn't believe that people
still do incredible things like this. "I thought those kinds of people had
disappeared from the planet," he said. And although Apollo hails from the "Land
of Honest People," he is now convinced that there are honest people everywhere.

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They Restored His Faith In Humanity




DID THEY COME BACK?

Although the letter restored Apollo's faith in humanity, there is no indication
that the three friends ever returned to Kilimandjaro to meet him in person.
However, it appears that they were true to their word and did indeed write a
five-star review on TripAdvisor. "I would highly recommend to anyone in the area
and would definitely return if I ever found myself in Middlesbrough again," they
wrote. However, they would've been wasting their time had they traveled back for
some Waka Waka chicken...

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Did They Come Back?



END OF AN ERA

It appears that Tom, Alex and Harry's long trip back to Middlesbrough would have
been futile. This is because since what happened, Apollo's restaurant has
permanently closed down. It's unclear why the restaurant is no longer open, but
it appears that other branches across the country are still going strong. At any
rate, Apollo seems to have taken a lot of inspiration from that heartwarming
letter and his life has only been getting better and better...

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End Of An Era




STAYING STRONG

There is no denying that Apollo must have felt dejected when he had no choice
but to close down his restaurant. However, it seems like it didn't take too long
before the businessman got back out there. Just days after he got the bad news,
Apollo was busy posting photos online of him and his family. In one of the
photos, he could be seen driving his car and as a caption, he wrote two simple
words: "Feeling blessed."

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Staying Strong



ONWARDS & UPWARDS

Although Tom, Alex, and Harry won't be able to go back to Apollo's restaurant to
thank him in person, they will be glad to hear that he is happy and doing very
well for himself. Not only has he made his own sauce, but the businessman is
also the chairman of soccer team Thornaby FC. Through his recent business
endeavors, Apollo is now in touch with famous soccer players. One thing's for
sure, the future certainly looks bright for this ambitious man.

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Onwards & Upwards




PROVIDING FOR HIS FAMILY

At the end of the day, the main reason that Apollo is such an ambitious
businessman is that he wants to make sure that his family has everything they
need. Not only that, but he wants his partner and kids to be extremely happy and
to inspire his children to grow up to be as ambitious as him. After hearing
stories like this one, we have no doubt they will grow up to follow in their
father's footsteps.

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Providing for His Family





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