Candace & Dalton

Candace (30) & Dalton (28)

Struthers, Ohio  

Sibling Revelry

This incredible brother and sister pair swear that they should have been twins (they’re actually one year apart) because they connect on a level that most can’t seem to fathom. Strangers often think they’re dating because they are so close. Waiters will pass Dalton the check because they assume that he’s the husband. They have pet names for one another. He calls her, “sister” and she calls him “Doll.” Even though they were raised with three other siblings Candace and Dalton always shared a very special bond different from the others. They developed their own language, played make-believe, dressed in costumes and even spoke for one another. Nearly two decades later not much has changed. They still live in their childhood home with their mom, they dress up in costumes with their pets and even seem to speak in a way that outsiders find impenetrable.

Candace will wax her brother’s armpits and body hair. He’ll wear her leggings and her former high school cheerleading shorts. The two have even been known to take risqué photo shoots with one another. Dalton is a fitness aficionado and very proud of his hard earned physique that he doesn’t mind showing off. He has no problem posing in revealing underwear and speedos while his devoted sister takes photos. The amount of photos of them together always raises an eye-brow…

Obsessed with animals both Candace and Dalton have more pets than two people should be allowed to own. Two horses, two dogs, three cats, two ducks, ten fish, a goat, a tortoise and of course a pet skunk! The two show horses competitively in local fairs and events. This is when they go hoof-to-hoof and you see raw sibling rivalry. Candace thinks she’s the better equestrian and Dalton believes himself to be the horse whisperer of the Struthers. When they’re not galloping at the nearby barn where they board their steeds they’re doting on their home menagerie. They celebrate their pet’s birthdays, dress up in matching costumes, and feed them expensive pet food. Since a young age, animals have brought this pair comfort and joy.

When they were just babies they nearly died. They were misdiagnosed with African bird flu but it turned out they had Salmonella and Giardia. Through thoughts, prayers and the right doctor they were healed. The duo chalk it up to a hardship that made them even closer. Candace and Dalton are best-friends who don’t really see themselves as siblings. They say that they feel each other’s pain as though their thoughts and feelings are connected regardless of distance. “If you cut one of us, the other will bleed.” They’re that close. Growing up Candace would act as Dalton’s translator and mouth-piece, vocalizing his wants and needs on his behalf. Today, Candace still realizes her brother’s wants and needs, even before he vocalizes them.

People tell them all the time that a healthy dose of separation would do them good. Since they’ve lived at home they’ve never been away from each other. That is until recently. Dalton decided he wanted to try to make it on his own in sunny Florida so he begrudgingly packed his bags and drove down South. He was miserable. After several weeks of non-stop, tear-filled calls to Candace he hit a low and realized that he was putting himself through unnecessary misery. Why shouldn’t he live back home? Even their own sister, Brooke, thinks that these two should be separated, but to them, “if it’s not broken, why fix it?”

Dalton came out as gay when he was in his mid-twenties. His family accepted him and continue to love him unconditionally but finding Mr. Right has proved problematic. Dalton is a country-boy and hopeless romantic who wears his heart on his sleeve. All of the guys so far have been shallow and narcissistic. He wants nothing more than to find his knight (or cowboy!) in shining armor. However, finding a likeminded gay man in central Ohio is a tall order but Dalton isn’t giving up hope! Either way, Candace won’t tolerate anyone who’s reckless with her brother’s heart. So much so that unbeknownst to Dalton she will wear a disguise and spy on Dalton during his dates from a nearby table. Candace on the other hand has a bad picker and generally dates guys who don’t truly understand her intensely close relationship with her brother and their “unique bond.” Most guys don’t understand their seemingly flirtatious banter and are weirded out. She’s even been accused of having an intimate affair with her brother. She isn’t sure if she’ll ever meet a guy who is man enough to understand that her brother comes first!

Now that the duo is reunited they are trying to find footing and next steps in their life. They know that they can’t live at home forever but they also know that it’s difficult for them to live apart. Dalton tried and failed. They’ve considered finding their own place. Or perhaps they’d have separate homes in the same town. Their ultimate dream is to share a piece of picturesque property where they can live and raise animals together. With both siblings at around thirty years old, outsiders wonder when they may finally get real jobs, have real relationships and finally grow up. Their dreams are anything but conventional, and they refuse to let anyone or anything dictate how they should life their life.