6. Ronde and Tiki Barber
Maybe athletics do run in the family, at least with identical twins Ronde and Tiki Barber that seems to be the case. At one point, both men were professional football players in the NFL and both do some sort of broadcasting. Ronde plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers while Tiki played for the New York Giants. The twins became famous once they started their careers in the NFL, and today still have a major impact on society and football fans alike. Ronde is a correspondent for the Today’s Show while Tiki spends time as a sports broadcaster. Not many twins have such a similar career path!
5. Chang and Eng Bunker
The Bunker twins were born on May 11, 1811 in Siam, which is known Thailand. Since the two were born in Siam and were connected by a piece of cartilage at the sternum, their condition became known as Siamese twins. The brothers both had livers, but they were fused. In today’s world, the twins could have easily been separated, but 19th century medicine wasn’t fit for that type of surgery. The brothers were exhibited during a world tour after being discovered by Robert Hunter, but soon after settled down and became U.S. citizens. Both men were able to marry and even had children. The Bunker brothers are famous for being the first widely known pair of Siamese twins. In 1874 Chang had contracted pneumonia and died, but Eng was still alive. Doctors offered to separate them but Eng declined, dying three hours later.
4. Jenna and Barbara Bush
Jenna and Barbara Bush make the list as they are “The First Twins.” The Bush daughters are the first twins to ever live in the White House. They were born on November 25, 1981 and are the only children of George W. and Laura Bush. During their stay, the sisters took on several activities such as writing books, attending presidential events, and helping with campaigns that dealt with learning. Though the twins have since moved out of the White House, they did give advice to the newcomers.
3. Robin and Maurice Gibb
Robin, Barry and Maurice Gibb - CIRCA 1970: Photo of Bee Gees Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Robin and Maurice Gibb are definitely some of the most influential people in the world, despite the fact that they are twins. Being separated by only 35 minutes, the twins would make their round in history by creating the worldly famous band The Bee Gees. After starting their band in Australia, the twins along with another brother, Barry Gibb, eventually made a breakthrough after traveling to England. The Bee Gees have since won nine Grammy Awards, five American Music Awards, a World Music Award, and plenty of inductions, including one into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, Maurice Gibb passed away on January 12, 2003, after suffering a heart attack.
2. Ann Landers and Abigail Van Buren
Ann Landers and Abigail Van Buren were born in Sioux City, Iowa on July 4, 1918. Though identical twins, the two sisters didn’t look too much alike, as Landers had surgery to correct a deviated septum. However, both were seen as idols to many women during their time. The twins worked together and even had a joint wedding. When Landers started her 1955 column, Abigail also decided to write one of her own after helping her sister. Both women soon became very popular columnists and even became competitive at one point which drove them to not speak to each other for about 10 years. Known for their famous Dear Abby, the sisters are said to have received about 15,000 letters each week with about 200 million readers.