With fingers measuring 30cm long, Tarik (India) struggles to live normally and has become a target for teasing.
Tarik was born with gigantic hands. Now 15 years old, he faces difficulties in all daily tasks, from bathing and dressing to eating. Tarik has even been rejected by schools. His deformed hands are considered one of the largest in the world today.
Tarik’s gigantic hands. (Photo: Barcroft).
“The boy’s hands are very large,” Tarik’s brother Hargyan told Barcroft. “I’ve never seen hands this big. Tarik seems stuck, and I have to take care of him.”
Day by day, Tarik’s hands continue to grow. He has become a target for bullying by both children and adults. “I have no friends. Everyone is afraid of these hands,” Tarik said sadly.
Tarik’s gigantic hands next to his peers’ hands. (Photo: Barcroft).
Tarik’s case has been reported in the media for a long time, and many doctors and specialists have come to study it. However, to this day, the symptoms causing his hands to swell like this have yet to be identified. Tarik’s monstrous hands remain a mystery that medicine has not yet deciphered. Therefore, he still has no way to undergo surgery to reduce the size of his hands.
The most widely accepted explanation is that he suffers from elephantiasis, also known as lymphatic filariasis. This disease causes abnormal swelling in tissue layers. However, it is usually caused by a parasite living in mosquitoes, while Tarik was born with such hands from the moment he was born.
Dr. Pawan Kumar Gandhi stated that Tarik’s condition is a mystery as he has never encountered a similar patient. “The chances of recovery are very slim,” the doctor remarked. In reality, Tarik has seen many doctors, but all have been at a loss. Now, his father has passed away. The family’s financial situation makes it even more difficult to seek treatment for Tarik.
Despite this, Tarik still hopes to recover one day. “I want to escape from this situation,” the boy expressed. “I want to go to school every day and play like my friends. I pray to have normal hands.” However, living in an underdeveloped rural area, many people in the village believe that Tarik is “possessed by evil spirits.” From a young age, this unfortunate teenager has had to live in the stigma and ridicule of others.
He lives like a disabled person, always needing help from others.
Due to the extreme inconvenience of his hands, Tarik cannot function like a normal person. Many daily activities such as eating, bathing, and dressing require assistance from family members. Tarik has to live like a disabled person for his entire life. He has also been unable to enroll in school because he cannot hold a pencil.
Despite these challenges, Tarik remains optimistic that one day he will be cured. In a recent interview with the press, Tarik shared: “I really want to escape from this condition. I want to be like other kids, going to school every day to learn and play.” Tarik’s family also holds hope that in the future, advancements in medicine will provide a way to “rescue” his case.
