Twins who grew up in different families and didn't meet until age 10 are now valedictorians

As the saying goes, "Blood is thicker than water," the foundation of two people, especially siblings related by blood, is often quite strong. Neither time nor distance can shake their inevitable bonding. Nearly 9 years after they were separated at birth, twin sisters Audrey Doering and Gracie Rainsberry reunited when they were 10 years old, thanks to the power of social media. Their sibling bond has been going strong for nearly a decade and recently, they celebrated a significant milestone they crossed together at ABC Network's morning show, Good Morning America, where they first met in 2017.

The currently 18-year-old twins born in China were adopted by two different American families when they were just 15 months old. Their two American moms wanted to adopt because they saw it as a wonderful option to add more joy to their families. Shortly after they were adopted, both the twins had to undergo surgeries to treat their heart conditions. Their moms had no idea their daughters had a twin living in the same country. When Audrey's mom, Jennifer Doering, learned through a Chinese researcher that her daughter had a twin, she did a little research and resorted to social media's help to find Gracie's mom, Nicole Rainsberry. 

Thanks to Facebook, the twins finally had an emotional reunion in a GMA show aired in January 2017. The moment the two sisters met, they instantly felt the connection and embraced each other. Despite living 1700 miles apart, the girls have been consistently meeting each other at least twice a year. They spend their birthdays, go on trips and be a part of each other's milestones. In her Instagram post, Audrey mentioned that she found her "best friend, other half, and the biggest supporter" in Gracie. "We've been able to travel together and experience so many firsts, which has been special. I think the best part is spending time with each other and just seeing how we've matured but how we're still very similar," Audrey said when she and her twin returned to the show last Wednesday.

This time, the sisters made headlines for the most incredible and unique reason. Surprisingly, they were both valedictorians in their respective high school graduations. Audrey's mom shared a wholesome picture on Facebook of the teens twinning in their graduation robes and wrote, "So proud of these two! Both valedictorians!" Gracie told the show's host, "Our situation is not ideal, it's not like most twins. But I'm so glad that I was able to go down and be with Audrey on her special day. And then when I graduate, she's going to be able to come to Washington."

Now, stepping into the next phase of their lives, the twins are about to attend colleges at the opposite ends of the country. Audrey will attend Vanderbilt University and Gracie, an ardent soccer player, is going to Eastern Oregon University, where she will play for the women's soccer team. The two sisters, once again, proved that they're quite alike when they said they were "excited to be on their own." Little did the Doerings and Rainsberrys expect that the daughters they adopted would be turning heads someday for their one-of-a-kind story.