Double the bond, twice the legacy

Hamilton County’s Heirbrandt Family celebrates National Twins Day

Submitted

Every year during the first weekend of August, families across the world gather to celebrate the unique, unbreakable connection shared by multiples. Founded in 1976 in Twinsburg, Ohio, the Twins Days Festival is recognized by Guinness World Records as the Largest Annual Gathering of Twins in the World and marks a milestone 50th anniversary this August.

Few families embody the spirit of this landmark celebration quite like Hamilton County’s own Heirbrandts, whose family tree continues to defy genetic odds.

At the heart of this local legacy are identical twins Mark Heirbrandt, a Westfield resident and long-time Hamilton County Commissioner, and his brother, Mike Heirbrandt, a Cicero resident. First featured in 2019, the brothers’ story of shared lives, mistaken identities, and an expanding family tree of multiples continues to inspire.

A lifetime of shared steps (and mistaken identities)

“Having a twin means built-in companionship from day one,” Mark said. “You share everything – from a childhood room to this incredible, unspoken connection. Watching that same dynamic play out across our entire family over the years has been truly special.”

That closeness has even served as an unexpected political asset. It has been a decade since Mark’s 2016 reelection campaign, but the brothers still laugh about the night Westfield and Fishers scheduled debates at the exact same time.

“I was in a complete bind,” Mark said. “I called Mike in a pinch and asked if he could step in, introduce himself as my twin, and take questions on my behalf. People in the room were completely stunned. It wasn’t just that he looked like me – his voice, his hand gestures, and everything else was an exact match.”

Sharing a face does have its public hazards, however. Over the years, both brothers have had to get used to answering to each other’s names.

“Mistaken identity is just part of the deal when you’re twins,” Mark says. “Mike has had folks walk up to him in elevators to thank him or ask questions about local drainage projects. And I’ve certainly taken the fall for a few things he did back in the day … so far as getting slapped once! At this point, if someone calls me Mike or if someone calls him Mark, we’re used to it.”

Passing the torch to the next generation

While geneticists often debate whether multiple births skip generations or depend on maternal versus paternal traits, the Heirbrandt family seems to have bypassed the rulebook entirely.

The legacy of multiples has flourished in the next generation:

• Mark’s twins: Ethan and Evan
• Mike’s triplets: Chase, Joel, and Tim

Years after their family photo first captured local hearts, the boys have grown into adulthood, carving out their own paths while carrying forward the family’s remarkable genetic tradition.

The family tree boasts even more history. Mark and Mike’s maternal grandmother had identical twin brothers named Ennis and Willis, and their mother also had identical twin cousins.

“Genetically, our family seems to be a complete anomaly,” Mark said. “To have my grandmother’s brothers, my mother’s cousins, Mike and me, and then pass that right down to twin boys and triplet boys – it completely defies the odds!”

A bond that defies time

Though the years have flown by and their families have grown, the daily connection between Mark and Mike remains entirely unchanged.

“Decades later, we still catch up three or four times a day,” Mark said. “No matter how busy life gets, that connection never fades. It’s a bond that’s unique and never fades.”

As National Twins Day celebrates a half-century of honoring multiples this August, the Heirbrandt family stands as a heartwarming, local reminder of the lifelong friendship that comes with being a twin.