Twins speechless to have a friend in Tom

THE formerly conjoined twins Hassan and Hussein Benhaffaf, from Carrigtwohill, were speechless and overwhelmed when they saw the Toy Story video that Hollywood actor Tom Hanks made for them, according to their mother, Angie.

Ms Benhaffaf said that the pair got very giggly in the middle of it and when it finished, Hassan said: “Mom, I wish we could just give him a big hug.”

The two-time Oscar-winner made the Toy Story-themed video for the two young boys after learning how the Benhaffaf twins kept their Woody and Buzz toys with them through 52 surgeries. Angie said her twin boys have dressed up as Woody and Buzz for Halloween every year since they were two, except this year, as they couldn’t find costumes big enough.

The twins’ mother said she bought the soft dolls for her sons on their first birthday and they haven’t put them down since.

“I wanted to get them something small enough to hold and keep with them for all their hospital stays, as a comfort toy, and I never could have imagined them loving them more.”

Ms Benhaffaf said that for every surgery since they were one year old, Woody has been with Hassan and Buzz has been with Hussein.

“Even their surgeons have Woody and Buzz on their file as their comfort toys, that go with them to theatre every time and they hold them tight through pain, following surgeries.”

Angie said the boys love Toy Story and even have Toy Story wheelchairs.

Mrs Benhaffaf said that when they receive the two Woody dolls and the letter from Tom Hanks, she is going to take some photographs of the twins holding their new ‘signed’ dolls and send it on to him, along with a special video message from Hassan and Hussein.

The celebrity actor was told of the twins’ grá for his Toy Story character by Youghal ice-cream parlour owner Miceal O’Hurley, who contacted him through his representatives.