NEATORAMA HOME | LITE/MOBILE VERSION | BEST OF NEATORAMA

Real Life Shrek.

By Alex in Everything Else on Mar 26, 2007 at 11:40 pm


This "real life Shrek" was Maurice Tillet (1903 – 1954), a professional wrestler who had acromegaly, a rare disease that caused bones to grow uncontrollably and led to severe disfigurement:

In his twenties, he developed acromegaly, a rare disease that causes bones to grow wildly and uncontrollably. Soon his whole body was disfigured as a result. This led to much pain for Tillet as this gentle man was being called names, berated and forced to flee the place he loved so much.

Seeking a new identity to fit his chronic disfigurement, Tillet fled to America where he made a living on his appearance by becoming a professional wrestler, and was dubbed as the “freak ogre of the ring”. His villain persona (”the French Angel”) was an instant success with the crowds. Perhaps the highlight of his career was on August 1, 1944, when The French Angel defeated Steve “Crusher” Casey for the American Wrestling Association World championship.

Link | Maurice Tillet [wiki] | More pic at WrestlingClassics – via reddit (Update 3/26/07: also at The Human Marvel)


Share


COMMENT
Be The First To Comment!

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT

Neatorama Comment Policy
You don't have to register or login to comment, but it's easier if you do so. Comments aren't censored, but those that are abusive or off-topic may be edited or deleted.


Keep track of the comments with Comment RSS

Lijit Search

T-SHIRTS FROM THE NEATORAMA SHOP

WRITE YOUR OWN NEATORAMA POST
Got a neat story? Share it with the world by writing your very own Neatorama blog post with the Upcoming Queue. Who knows, you might just win something ...

Here's how to get started:
FAQ | Tips