Naman Shrestha
Netflix’s ‘The Accidental Twins’ is a Colombian documentary that recounts the fascinating case of two pairs of identical twins getting exchanged at birth in Colombia in December 1988. Co-written and helmed by Alessandro Angulo, it profiles the early life of both pairs of twins — Jorge, William, Carlos, and Wilber — and how the mix-up changed the respective destinies of their lives. Featuring exclusive interviews with the twins, the documentary also delves deep into the impact the accident has had on their present and future.
Carlos Bernal and Wilber Canas Velasco Reunited After 25 Years
On December 22, 1988, Carlos Bernal and Wilber Canas Velasco were born to Ana Delina and Carmelo Velasco in Velez Hospital in Santander, Colombia. However, Carlos displayed a few health complications upon birth, so his family decided to transfer him to the Materno Infantil Hospital in Bogota, Colombia. In the same Bogota hospital, another pair of twins — Jorge Bernal and William Velasco — were newly born and kept. Somehow, a mix-up happened, and the aunt of Carlos brought William back home to Santander instead of Carlos. This led to a sudden shift in Carlos’ fate as he grew up with Jorge in the war-stricken yet developing city of Bogota, apart from his actual twin, Wilber, who was raised in the rural area of La Paz in Santander, Colombia, with William.
Wilber and William also shared another brother named Israel Canas, who passed away prematurely at the age of 22 while serving in the army. Wilber followed his brother’s path and joined the military after coming of age. Meanwhile, Carlos studied Contaduria Publica at the Cooperative University of Colombia and Ciencias Tributarias at Universidad Central. Growing up in contrasting settings for 25 years without knowing about each other did not stop them from becoming similar in their mannerisms, interests, and core nature. Their fates intertwined when William relocated to Bogota and worked at a butcher shop, where one of Jorge’s colleagues spotted him.
In 2014, the long overdue reunion of the mixed-up twins happened as Carlos and Wilber were shocked to see the similarities in each other’s physical appearances. As they started to make up for the time they lost while growing up, the two identical brothers found more similarities and differences. For instance, Carlos claimed that he and Wilber were more ego-centric and bigger flirts as compared to the other two twins. In 2016, they collectively helped William in his political campaign. Although it bore no fruit for William, Carlos and Wilber had a great experience of working together.
Carlos Bernal is a Deputy Finance and Administration Director in a Bogota Company
Still living in Bogota, Colombia, Carlos Alberto Bernal Castro landed a job at ACIET as a Deputy Finance and Administration Director in November 2021. For a year or so, from February 2023 to March 2024, he worked as a freelance Certified Public Accountant for Fondo de Desarrollo de la Educacion Superior. Apart from spending time with his identical twin and the other pair of identical twins, he likes to indulge in different kinds of physical activities and sports.
For instance, he rarely misses out on gym where he mainly performs CrossFit workouts to keep his body in shape. An avid fan of basketball, Carlos is seemingly an integral part of an amateur basketball team called ESBAK. In January 2018, he had the opportunity to visit the Kaseya Center, previously known as American Airlines Arena. Being a nature lover, Carlos also likes to remain closer to nature, mostly by sitting on the beach and watching life go by. From the looks of it, the 35-year-old Carlos is also fond of traveling. Over the last few years, he has been to various places. For instance, he visited Paris, France, in December 2023 and went to Mexico in the summer of 2023.
Wilber Canas Velasco is in a Healthy Relationship and Dreams to Own a Business
Wilber Canas Velasco works as a meat carver in Bogota, Colombia, and is determined to have his own business someday and become independent. On the personal front, he has been in a loving relationship with a woman named Marcela Moreno. Still holding the Atlético Nacional Football Club close to his heart, Wilber dons the club’s jersey every now and then and ensures he stays updated about their performance. Although the two brothers lead busy lives, they take time out for each other and catch up.
In April 2024, they celebrated their mother’s birthday and hosted a small party in the Santander house. In 2021, the two sets of twins, including Carlos and Wilber, collaborated with Nancy L. Segal and Yesika S. Montoya and published a book on their accidental exchange, titled ‘Accidental Brothers: The Story of Twins Exchanged at Birth and the Power of Nature and Nurture.’
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