The parents of a pair of conjoined twins have finally gotten to see their babies after a successful 27-hour surgery at the Children’s Hospital at Montifiore Medical Center in the Bronx, according to reports.

Nicole and Christian McDonald got to see their twin sons, Anias and Jadon, who had been separated during the mammoth surgery. The boys are 14 months old and will be moving into rehab, six weeks after their surgery. That’s an incredible pace, considering the fact that the previous record for recovery from such a procedure was eight weeks, with many twins being hospitalized for months.

The surgery was led by Dr. James Goodrich, considered an expert in conjoined twins. It was not an easy surgery: the twins’ brains were so connected that Goodrich considered possible stopping the operation long after it had begun, according to a CNN report.

Conjoined twins tend to have a dominant half, where one of the boys’ lungs and heart work extra, and the other benefits. Once separated, the non-dominant child often struggles with breathing and eating — in this case, it’s Anias. Fortunately, Anias appears to be progressing on schedule.

“This was unexpectedly one of the hardest cases I have ever worked on,” Goodrich said in a statement. “We knew they shared an area of fused brain, but we did not know how complicated it would be until we looked inside. I am relieved that the procedure was successful. These are strong little boys and the team I work with at Montefiore is quite simply the best in the world.”

“Once again the Montefiore Einstein team is leading the way in pioneering medicine that changes lives,” said Steven M. Safyer M.D., President and CEO, Montefiore. “This intricate procedure was greatly enhanced by cutting edge 3D technology that enabled the surgeons to see inside the boys’ brains. But what really makes this case so special to me is the way our entire community is embracing the McDonald family. This is Montefiore at its best: sophisticated science, medicine and patient care are at the heart and soul of what we do.”