Sienna and Sierra Bernal (USA) Hold World Record for “Tallest Height Difference in Twins,” with the sister being 40cm taller than the sibling.
The twin sisters Sienna Bernal and Sierra Bernal (26 years old, living in Texas, USA) are among the most unique twins in the world. While their faces share many similarities, their height difference is a striking 40cm. The Guinness World Records has awarded them the record for “Tallest Height Difference in Twins.”
Sienna is a social activist dedicated to supporting talented individuals with disabilities, even though she stands at only 1.34m tall. Since birth, she has suffered from a rare and severe illness that prevents her body from growing normally. According to researchers, there are only about 200 people in the world with this condition. In contrast, her sister Sierra stands tall at 1.74m.
Their mother, Chrissy Bernal, gave birth to the twin girls prematurely on December 22, 1998. Doctors explained that the genetic changes occurred after the embryos developed independently, resulting in twins who look alike but have significant differences in physical stature.
Sienna (left) is only half the size of her twin sister – Sierra.
Like other twins, the Bernal sisters share the same hair color (blonde) and many physical traits. However, Sienna is only 1.2m tall, while her twin sister Sierra reaches a height of 1.55m. Sienna weighs just 16.8kg, nearly half of Sierra’s weight at 36.7kg.
From the time she was in the womb, Sienna was so small that doctors didn’t realize her mother was expecting twins until she was 6 months pregnant. Chrissy gave birth three months earlier than expected.
Due to a brain defect, Sienna only started school at age 8 and was always protected by Sierra.
At birth, Sienna weighed less than 0.5kg and faced numerous health issues, including a hole in her heart and Dandy-Walker syndrome, which results in a partial deficiency in the brain. However, she wasn’t diagnosed with congenital dwarfism until she turned 6 years old.
Doctors had warned Chrissy that Sierra had only a 10% chance of surviving after birth. But after 108 days in the neonatal intensive care unit, Sierra developed enough to go home for family care.
Sierra and her twin sister Sienna currently live with their parents and their 16-year-old brother, Austin, in Houston.
The sisters share interests in shopping, makeup, and chatting about boys. However, due to her brain defect, Sienna only began school at the age of 8.
The two sisters Sienna with their mother – Chrissy.
The little person Sienna reveals: “Most of the time, I don’t really care about being different. It really just makes me feel special.
Sierra always looks out for me, and we do everything together – shopping, swimming, and singing. She can be bossy but always shows me how to flirt with boys, defends me if I get teased, and gets things for me when they’re too high up.”
Mother Chrissy added: “I treat both my daughters equally. Sienna has a real zest for life and always makes people smile. I am very proud of my twin daughters.”
The sisters Sienna Bernal and Sierra Bernal today.
Sienna still lives with her parents in Texas. She and her mother work as social activists, supporting projects to upgrade public infrastructure so that individuals with disabilities can access and use them easily. Meanwhile, her sister Sierra has become a singer-songwriter and moved to Nashville to pursue her dreams.
“I find it exciting to have a Guinness record. I’m just living my life well, and one day the record knocked on my door. I don’t know how long I will hold this record or if I deserve it, but I have had a wonderful experience,” Sienna humorously shared.
