Doctors Said It Was Impossible — Then the Surgery Began

After a challenging and delicate surgery, doctors successfully separated conjoined twins Amari and Javar Ruffin — and today, they’re celebrating their first birthday as two happy, healthy boys.

Born in 2023 via C-section, the twins were connected at the chest, diaphragm, abdominal wall, and liver, with a combined weight of only six pounds. Their parents, Timmo and Shaneka, learned about the rare condition during a 12-week ultrasound and faced an agonizing choice. But after seeking a second opinion, they discovered separation was possible — and chose hope over fear.

On August 21, 2024, a team of over two dozen medical specialists performed an eight-hour operation, carefully separating shared organs and rebuilding the twins’ abdominal walls with surgical mesh.

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