The fact that the mother treated him as any other normal kid despite how deformed he became just shows that the most kind and caring people really do get overlooked by the jerks of the world.

He was dealt one of the shittiest hands in history, and he played it so well that he actually came out on top and won. Mad respect!

I think he didn't fall into depression or harming himself because his mother loved him unconditionally. She gave him confidence and humanity. He might have had the worst life and later a better life, but I hope he is resting in peace and he is with his mother.

I met a man with a similar condition and life story. He had been horrifically burned all over his body by a car accident in his late teens/early twenties. (his motorcycle versus the old kind of Volkswagen beetle with the fuel up front). His face was scarred and he wore an eye patch, he needed many skin grafts and treatments, he couldn't hear well, he had trouble speaking clearly, and one of his hands wasn't so useful. But he was one of the sweetest nicest men I have ever met. I met him as a kid, he was friends with my dad. He had a wife who he met AFTER the accident, and two beautiful well behaved children. He held a steady job as a technician, had his own small machine shop as a hobby and did projects with his church to help people who weren't as fortunate. Despite his condition, and battling his health ailments since young adulthood, he stayed cheerful, funny and even did a few church sermons giving his testimony. He died at about age 50 from cancer. Everyone loved him.

His heart was "deformed" too. Very few "normal" people could endure so much, and yet persevere. The heart on this man...remarkable.

I think elephant man is a badass, he never surrender against all odds. He had unbelievable strong determination.

This man had the worst luck of any man in history and he made it through his determination was incredible

The guy was a legitimate badass, life tried to beat him down multiple times and yet he pressed on harder than ever.

You can say whatever you want about him getting bad hands after bad hands, he was still blessed with a wonderful mother.

The mother who, although died when Joseph was young, I think gave him the determination he needed.

I've been diagnosed and living with BDD for years. Pretty bad case. It ruined my life, my ability to make a good future for myself, and there is really nothing wrong with me objectively. I feel guilty for feeling that way even though I can't control it. The elephant man's story is unbelievably inspiring but also makes me incredibly sad. Goes to show how incredibly complex us humans really are. I think having his mother as a rock solid support in his life at the early stages played a big role in making his character so strong. I wish everyone gets to feel that kind of unconditional love in their life.

He sounds like a great guy, it’s horrible that he had to go through all that but it’s absolutely amazing that he managed to fight through and make the best out of his situation. May he Rest In Peace

Moral of the story: don't feel bad about your faults, monetize them

Why is it that the only person that cares for these people die when their child is still young, and they get handed to the care of evil and cruel people.

The fact that the elephant man is and will be more popular than almost everyone that watched this video is really impressive. Even if nature gives you the worst cards imaginable, there is a high chance you will be remembered way longer than a normal person

“I would be measured by the soul, the mind is the standard of the man” Yeah dude and you scored really high!

“Wear it like armor, and it can never be used to hurt you.” -Tyrion Lannister

"Compared to Joseph Merrick, you're basically a supermodel..." Yeah, but compared to a supermodel, I'm basically Joseph Merrick...

“‘It’s true my form is something odd” “But blaming me is blaming god” “Could I create myself anew” “I would not fail in pleasing you” “Could I reach from pole to pole” “Or grasp the ocean with a span” “I would be measured by the soul: The minds the standard of the man” Beautiful poem 😿

The determination he had despite his deformities is incredible. He never gave up, and actually used his appearance to his advantage.

He was bullied so much, beaten, ridiculed, deformed, screamed at,.....but he kept going....such a Chad, he has my respect

poor guy went through so much at such a young age, it's truly unbelievable.

His poetry is astounding, I teared up when you read that. I think we can all learn so much from the tragic life of Joseph Merrick - especially is closing sentiments that he left with anyone who was privileged to receive his letters.

You can really see that having a very healthy relationship with a stable parental figure during a human's critical period helps a lot in how they deal with problems / setbacks later on in life. 💕

*"The human brain is the most complex structure in the whole entire universe"* _-Human Brain_

At least he had a caring mother

The fact that he passed on my birthday makes me so much more sad. Like, this man could easily be the bravest, most determined individual ever. Respect

Oh 😥😭, my emotions are all over the place. I literally was crying about the abuse & gawking from people and how lonely & sad he must have been deep down in his soul 😢. Yet I'm inspired & happy that Joseph was such a strong, determined person who refused to give up on himself and being around people. That man had one of the Most Beautiful soul, mind & heart I've ever heard of , in a human being. That alone makes him handsome in appearance and beautiful in spirit , in my opinion. I thank God, He gave me the eyes & heart to find/see beauty in others , that the majority of the world has shunned & casted out. If he lived today, I would so hope & pray Joseph would choose me to be a friend of his. I have no doubt, Joseph loved & respected his friends and was a person that could be trusted. RIP Joseph💜. I'm sure he heard God say to him, " Job well done, good & faithful servent, Enter".

I like learning about strange accounts, but this man, he was probably the most interesting, most polite, hard-working person I’ve learned about

imagine him say "ew" when he looks at you

I grew up with the story of "John" (Joseph) Merrick and as a kid who was hated and bullied and mocked constantly and had a terrible family life on top of that? I could relate to him. But after watching this video, decades after the fact? The real moral of the story is that force of will can overcome most anything, and that you can't let self-pity dictate your life. Mr. Merrick was a stronger man than I ever thought he was, and thank you for making this video and making such a sensitive and nuanced presentation.

this dude sounds like an amazing person and was truly determined to make the best of his life, i love this man.

People: ew my face look ugl- Elephant man: *listen here you little shit*

That poem hits right in the feels. Deformed or not, that elephant could write

The mental strength of this guy was absolutely incredible. What a fighter.

The thought of him penniless, curled up on the floor of the station waiting room absolutely breaks my heart. At least his story ended on a high note. What a challenging life that ended so young. Bless his heart.

And yet no records of him ever trying to harm himself or end his life, truly an inspirational man

Most of us aren't even ugly, Kids are just judgemental jerks lol

man didn't join a freak show, he MADE a freak show. gigachad

Bless Joseph’s heart for being such a resilient person.

I feel bad for him , he just wanted to be accepted. People are so cruel.

Just look at his eyes. You can see his real self in his eyes.

I was feeling sorry for myself today, when I clicked on this. What a lesson to learn from a man who endured more than anyone

Given what we know today about radiation exposure that they didn't know then I wonder if he was somehow exposed to a large but non-lethal dose as a child. His deformities seem to be more severe on his right side while the left seems most normal. Were there any types of glowing toys in his time? Noting his skull and shoulder, perhaps a toy he would sleep with.

A *real* mother will always love her child!

"What happened to your son? He used to be so healthy!" "Well when I was pregnant I got scared by an elephant" "Oh ok makes sense"

he may be deformed and unrecognisable, but he was a warm and wholesome man.

Rest in peace Joseph, you amazingly brave human. Your story will continue to inspire people until the end of our time. I am so happy people are calling you by your proper name now and not John. Rest in peace sweet human x

This guy lived his life like his deformities didn't exist, mad respect.

He was in a work prison for 4 years, But he didn’t give up He lost his popularity in freak shows, But he still didn’t give up. He had his life savings taken away, But he WOULD NOT give up He was beaten and lonely, BUT HE NEVER GAVE UP.

mad respect for this man he is the real insperational story that we should tell

Wow! This man was treated brutally by random people because of his appearance. But he still had a good soul and heart. This shows that humanity can be really cruel.

Poor guy, his life was so sad, but with all the disabilities and without anyone to support him, he managed to succeed in some places. Defently the strongest person I've ever heard of. Luck was neve on his side and he probably felt alone and ashamed of himself. If I only could have been there for him... After hearing this story im so thankful for my life and the fact that luck is on my side between time to time.

Is this what the saying “Only worth a mother’s love” came from? That must be torture.

This man, Joseph, had such a beautiful soul. I’m in tears 😭

Thank you for this touching story of Joseph Merrik. Although I knew his basic story, your details brought him more to life than I knew. What a remarkable man. 💜🙏🏼

As a modern day “freak” I can tell you exactly how it feels to be stared at, laughed at. It sucks. Those with disabilities and differences don’t exist to make you all feel better about your lives. We are more than our differences we are whole people. We don’t want your pity or praise for a life lived as we must. Nothing about us, without us.

That theory of multiple illnesses attacking at the same time could actually be it. Since it was his _bones_ that were mutating, it may have been statue syndrome, where bones grow and overtake the entire body, making the skeleton look like a “statue”. The abnormal growth of bones combined with another illness may be how this happened.

when he said 27 I was shocked.... All of that?? in only 27 years! that's crazy

It takes a lot to be able to keep going after all that he went through and live the happiest life he possibly could in his situation, and I'm very inspired by Joseph. Its pretty awesome to be able to take your problems and make them work in your favor.

he died so young, yet his life was so epic...he was literally a larger than life figure. he must have had the mind of a old man, all the adversaries he had been through...

Freaks: I'm gonna star in a show and make a decent living entertaining people! Victorian moral puritans: Freakshows are exploitative and cruel! Freaks: "thrown out on the street"

Such an amazing story of one persons will to keep on going, against great odds. I think it fair to say, most people would have given up. Very inspirational story. Great work telling it.

Joseph Merrick was a beautiful soul, as well as an awe inspiring and truly amazing piece of history. Not only do his words bring tears to my eyes, but leave me wishing we heard more of what he was thinking in those hard times, wondering what other admirable words he could have written and spoken. If only we appreciated him then as we do now. Truly a great video and a sentimental one that has sparked so much emotion at least within my own heart.

Everyone else: I'm so ugly omg like- Joseph: You're lucky enough to look like a human being.

“I would be measured by the soul, the mind is the standard of the man” Such wise words from someone who was so young, damn...

Heartbreaking. I still remember watching the film and running out of the cinema in floods of tears.what a real gentleman he was, in every sense of the word.🌹

You presented this beautifully and respectfully, left tears in my eyes, thank you.

Bruh..... he died possibly because he wanted to lie down jst a little bit more comfortably and crossed the border....... sad af

I almost cried at the end, this guy went through so much. Huge respect

Cheers, mate. Your account gave me great warmth. Such a remarkable, unassailable spirit he was, and that came across resoundingly well in your telling.

The part where he wasnt bothered about the bullying as he knew hed see his mam at the end of the day made me so happy

I've always heard poor Joseph Merrick was actually a very kind man who suffered horribly due to his appearance. But I had no idea about so much of this. Poor guy.

"Too freakish for a freak show" Damn...

It’s so nice to see all this compassion. Think about this next time you disregard or quietly judge someone else. which, sadly regardless of feeling or response, will happen.

I have special needs kids...and I pray everyday that I live a long, LONG time...for their sake. I can't imagine how his mother's death at only 11 years old would have permanently "scarred" him for life. Poor little Joseph. A remarkable man.

Ever since I found out about him, I've always wanted to give him a nice hug. He definitely deserves one. I have the utmost respect for Joseph and his perseverance

When I was around 6 or 7, I saw an episode of the history channel talking about him and, even though I knew he was just a normal person with deformities, I was terrified of him. For years, he was the monster under my bed, the invisible threat always out to get me. Just looking at him gave me nightmares, despite knowing logically he wasn't a monster at all. I didn't sleep in my own bed for months. I eventually grew out of that fear, and now as an adult I feel so ashamed for being afraid. It honestly makes me so sad that I ever felt that way, even though I couldn't help it. I hope I get to apologize to him one day and tell him he didn't deserve any of it.

Wow… this really is such a touching story, no matter how much adversity and awful, horrible luck this man faced he still tried a prevailed to the very end. What a strong soul, I hope that he experiences nothing but true health and happiness in all of his next lives

This man is BEAUTIFUL! I love this man! He had these horrible deformities but he kept going! He was brave and courageous, and that is beautiful!

Just imagine the pain this man went through, and it wasn’t even his fault 💔

Joseph was extremely intelligent. I've read his letters he sent to his pen pals, and seen the miniature building models he built. Truly someone inspiring that he wouldn't let his physical limitations get in the way.

Wow he was truly incredible, he worked with what he had and made his own way. I had no idea. Thank you for this inspiring story.

Great vid. So sad yet uplifting that Joseph had such spirit and that there were good people in the world who helped him when he was in dire need. May he be at peace 😌

\you got to admit, Joseph Merrick is a stronger person then most people. He didn't care much about his appearance and he is very good at writing proems.

Thjs man deserves all human's respect.

One of those stories that literally makes you tear up at points. I do not comprehend how someone could be as evil as to steal everything from someone that disadvantaged, that sweet, and so determined to not give up. I’m at least he found some periods of solace in his later life. Not even trying to be morbid and depressing but if that were me, I don’t think I would’ve been able to handle life

You always put so much work into the creation of each of your Videos . Always amazing and super informative . Mr. Merrick had such an unimaginably difficult life . I'm happy he had at least a few good times . Thanks for sharing this . Stay safe .

Worst part of his disease still seems to be the inability to grow a mustache.

It's incredible that we still don't know what caused the deformities.

Damn, that ending made me cry a bit. What an amazing story.

This is the first time that I have heard the backstory of the Elephant Man. You told the story with such eloquence and passion that I had to listen to the whole thing. If you don’t mind I am going to use this video as a stepping stone for those who are having a terrible time with life to show that the Elephant Man never gave up and just kept moving forward.

"His mother was scared by an elephant during pregnancy" Wait, so is _that_ where Joseph's stage name came from?!

He was a fighter. He took what life gave him and made the most of it. I bet he's probably the most handsome man in Heaven.

Wow! What an incredible story! I remember seeing the movie, which played up that Joseph Merrick was very intelligent and a true gentleman, despite his horrifying deformities. It seems, they got that part right, but his true story is way more inspiring. Thank you for making it known. I like that he was not a victim and that when he needed it, he got support. Unusual for Victorian times.

I watched the film when I was young, it made me cry especially at the end. ☹️ Thank you for this correct version of events, he was an inspiration.👍

Nothing more ironic than apparent "moral righteousness" destroying one of this dude's sources of income/confidence and then high society being the ones to help him out

"Imprinting during pregnancy" is a belief that persists today. At least it did when my mother was pregnant with me (30yrs ago). My mom was a Mexican Woman, and when i was born, i had a rough/dry spot of skin. My mom was convinced that happened because she had a craving for aligator, after hearing that the US south eats it. Since she never had the chance to eat it, she believed it imprinted on me as a fetus. My dry spot of skin went away after a few weeks of baby lotion, lol.

I couldn't imagine what he was going through he never gave up and that is what life is. Mad respect to him

Joseph is an amazing person being able to persist life despite the odds being stacked against him, he lived a life full of hardship, angst and uncertainty and yet manage to find some semblance of normalcy or good things for him no matter how little his life has given him.