The Tree Man needs some lovin' too
For nearly 20 years, Dede Koswara's body has been covered with warts and tree-like growths. When he was 15, he cut his lower leg and a wart started developing on the cut shortly after. Then the warts started spreading uncontrollably over his entire body. He has been dubbed "The Tree Man of Java."
Last year a US dermatology expert Dr Anthony Gaspari took up his case and determined that Dede had contracted a Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), a fairly common infection usually causing only small warts.
Unfortunately in Dede's case he had an extremely rare immune system deficiency, leaving his body unable to contain the warts.Dede told the Daily Telescope website from an Indonesian hospital that he is looking forward to the day were he can look for a job and find a woman to marry him. He 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."
Dede's first wife left him because of his bizarre appearence. At one point, he decided to join a freak show in order to make some money to feed his two kids.
Dede has already had 4lbs of bark and warts removed from his body. He is undergoing two more surgeries in hopes of removing more of the growth's on his face, hands, and feet.
