FORMER CONJOINED TWINS COMPETE AS CHEERLEADERS NEARLY A DECADE AFTER GROUNDBREAKING SURGERY. (PHOTO).

 Former conjoined twins compete as cheerleaders nearly a decade after groundbreaking surgery

CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS - Nearly a decade after a pioneering surgery at Driscoll Children’s Hospital, two former conjoined twins from Brownsville are back in Corpus Christi, this time making headlines as cheerleaders.

Ximena and Scarlett Hernandez Ambriz were born in 2016 conjoined at the pelvis, one of three sisters in their family, alongside triplet Catalina. The girls underwent a complex separation surgery that gave them the chance to live independently. Doctors had initially warned the family that it was uncertain whether the twins would ever walk. Today, not only can they walk, but they are also dancing and competing in a state cheerleading competition, with their mother serving as head coach. Their performance incorporates music and choreography that reflects their family’s journey, culminating in a final pose symbolizing the start of their remarkable story.

Michelle Horine, the girls’ madrina, or godmother, has been part of their journey since the beginning, visiting them in the NICU while they were still conjoined and supporting the family through the surgery. The triplets, along with their mother and grandmother, spent over a year living at the Ronald McDonald House during Ximena and Scarlett’s recovery. Silvia Hernandez Ambriz recalled the unwavering support: “When we cried, they cried with us. We never felt alone.”

Reflecting on the surgery, Silvia said it felt like her daughters were “born again,” and she hopes their story inspires other children with medical challenges to persevere. Now, nearly ten years later, the Hernandez Ambriz family is ready to take the stage again — this time under the bright lights of competition, celebrating life, resilience, and the journey they’ve shared together.