Together they had three legs — two of their own and one shared. Although each girl had her own spine, heart, and lungs, they could only move and live together.

Doctors knew from the start that without surgery, the girls would have no chance of living a normal life. But the separation was extremely risky — even the slightest mistake could have cost both of them their lives.

For several years, doctors monitored the sisters until their bodies were strong enough. Only in December 2016, when Erika and Eva turned two, did the medical team decide to go ahead with the surgery.

Surgeons at Stanford Children’s Hospital performed a unique operation that lasted about eighteen hours.

A team of more than fifty specialists gradually separated their internal organs, blood vessels, and tissues, creating a complete and functional body for each child. After the surgery, the girls underwent a long rehabilitation process — relearning how to sit, move, and play.

Today, Erika and Eva live full, happy lives. They attend school, love to draw, and enjoy spending time with other children. Each of them uses a prosthetic leg and a wheelchair, but both remain incredibly cheerful and active.

Their parents say that despite all the challenges, the sisters have maintained an extraordinary bond — they can feel each other even from a distance and always stay together, because since birth they have been united not only by blood, but also by the strength of love and the will to live.