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INSPIRATION ROAD — There are some stories that make you realize that the ability to overcome great odds isn’t just for a chosen few, it’s in all of us. We just needed to be given an example of how it's done.
This is one of those stories courtesy of two extraordinary Utah twins.
Kendra and Maliyah Herrin of Salt Lake City were born conjoined twins. They shared a liver and a kidney, according to the BBC series “Living Differently.” When they were born, doctors told Kendra and Maliyah’s parents that the twins didn’t have too much time left.
“The doctor said that we weren’t going to live past 24 hours,” said Kendra. “After we passed that, they said that we wouldn’t live past 8 (years old) sharing one kidney for the both of us. So that’s why we got separated.”
Four years later, the twins' parents, Jake and Erin Herrin, were faced with the biggest decision of their lives: have their daughters separated via surgery. It was a procedure that put the girls’ lives at risk.
“It wasn't always cut and dry that we were going to separate them and that's all that there was to it," said Erin Herrin. "There’s so much that goes into a huge decision like that. You have to make sure that it's the right thing for them."
“We just called it ‘cut apart day,’” Kendra said. “We didn’t really know what it meant.”
At age 4 and for the first time, Kendra and Maliyah were separated. But just because the surgery was successful didn’t mean health concerns in the future were out of the question.
Kendra was given the kidney the twins shared, while Maliyah went on dialysis for nine months. Erin Herrin donated her kidney to Maliyah. Ten years later, Maliyah had to go on dialysis again after the donated kidney was eventually rejected.
“She was on dialysis for 2 1/2 years,” said Erin Herrin. “She just took it in stride. She had friends on dialysis that had passed away and she had to deal with the loss of her friends, which was really hard.
“I’m just amazed at how well she did it. I don’t think I could do it.”
In 2018, Maliyah received a kidney transplant. She even posted a vlog on YouTube on the surgery and recovery. For the twins, vlogging is a way to express themselves and create for others.
"So, on our YouTube channel, we just do different funny videos and we did a video of our story," Kendra said.
The self-esteem that (Kendra and Maliyah) have blows me away. Lots of people could learn a lot of things from them.
–Erin Herrin, the twins' mother
Kendra and Maliyah are now in high school here in Utah and think it’s fun. Kendra says her sister is a bit more outgoing, and Maliyah says she doesn’t think her and her sister look alike. Both sisters make dinner every night, rotating cooking responsibilities. The teens also said they’ve never been bullied at school.
The twins' dad says posting vlogs has helped boost their confidence.
“It gives something to drive them, something that they’re interested in,” said Jake Herrin.
The sisters love posting vlogs because it helps others.
“We like making the videos just to make people positive,” Kendra said.
Erin Herrin says her daughters are an inspiration.
“The self-esteem that they have blows me away. Lots of people could learn a lot of things from them,” she said.
Yes, we all could.
We all face tough obstacles in our lives, in some way. But what Kendra and Maliyah have overcome from the day they were born to see their success today is truly remarkable and inspirational. Their perseverance should serve as an example to all of us.
Keep pursuing your dreams, Kendra and Maliyah. I’m sure you’ll reach them.