He was teased and pelted with stones: How does the turtle boy look now
Colombian Didier Montalvo was always an outcast. His peers avoided playing with him, calling him the “turtle boy.” 😮 And it wasn’t because of his slowness. 😵💫It was because he had a huge growth on his back that resembled a turtle’s shell. But after years of struggle, he underwent surgery, and here’s how he looks now 👇
It all started with small pigmented spots that appeared in his childhood. At the age of six, the spots began to turn into a strange growth, and soon it grew significantly, covering 40% of his body.
As the growth continued, Didier began to have difficulty moving. The growth not only restricted his movement but also added extra weight, making regular physical activities difficult.
When Didier’s mother, Luz, finally sought medical help, the diagnosis was serious: Didier had a congenital melanocytic nevus – a rare genetic disorder affecting only 1% of the world’s population.
Doctors warned that without surgery, the tumor could become malignant. However, despite this, the cost of the surgery was unaffordable for the family, and they couldn’t afford the necessary treatment for a long time.
In addition to medical issues, Didier faced harsh discrimination from his peers and even adults. He was teased, avoided, and sometimes even pelted with stones.
People in his village believed his appearance was a result of evil forces and blamed his mother for conceiving him during a full moon. This made Didier a complete outcast, and even moving to another village didn’t change the situation.
Everything changed in 2012 when renowned British surgeon Neil Bulstrode heard about Didier’s problem.
He decided to help for free and traveled to Colombia to perform the surgery. The doctors successfully removed the growths, and Didier’s life drastically changed.
Now, he can lead a normal life, and his fellow villagers, seeing the improvements, finally accepted him, allowing him to attend school and interact with other children.
Didier’s story is an example of how one can overcome even the toughest obstacles and reclaim their human dignity.
