Cook’s daughter, Marsha Gerber, said the twins were born prematurely and weren’t expected to make it. Instead, they lived 83 years together.

Cook died of a heart attack and Mitchel died from Alzheimer’s complications.

The family believes that the close timing of their deaths is not a coincidence. Gerber told KHOU that, "Helen met Clara in heaven."

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Ceudy Gutierrez reads a book to her 2-year-old son, Matias, at their home in Buford, GA, on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. Ceudy Gutierrez is struggling to make ends meet for herself and her three young kids following her husband’s ICE arrest earlier this fall. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez