Indonesian 'Tree Man' Dies Aged 42 After Years Of Battling Rare Illness
A Indonesian man who was dubbed ‘Tree Man’ due to the warts covering his body has died after a long battle with the incurable condition causing the growths.
Dede Koswara, 42, suffered from an extremely rare disease known as Lewandowsky-Lutz dysplasia - responsible for causing huge scaly warts resembling tree bark to cover his body.
The condition even led Dede’s wife and children to leave him - because he was unable to work and provide an income for the family.
Dede’s battle with the condition was so severe that the warts are believed to have weighed more than 13lbs.
He underwent surgery to remove the warts in 2008 but they continued to return at an aggressive rate, and required two surgeries a year to keep them at bay.
But remarkably, Dede never gave up hope in finding a cure, according to those closest to him.
His nurse said: ‘Dede wanted to recover, despite his disease.
‘He was coping with his illness, even though people despised him as someone cursed.
‘He was bored, resting in bed in the hospital, and often smoked to pass the time. He wanted to go back to being a carpenter and starting a home business.’
He also never gave up hope of finding true love, and once said: ‘What I really want first is to get better and find a job.
‘But then, one day, who knows? I might meet a girl and get married.’
Doctors say that Dede eventually died from a series of health problems including liver disorders and hepatitis.
