Joseph Merrick also known as the “Elephant Man” lived a rather uncomfortable and tragic life. He was born in 1862 in Leicester, England to Joseph Rockley Merrick and his wife Mary Jane. At the time of his birth and approximately till the age of 4, Joseph Merrick did not show any signs of disease. After he was 5, his family started to notice his skin, especially the area around his head becoming thick and lumpy and also changing in color resembling that of an elephant.
As he grew older, his body started to deform, his lips swelled up and his skin turned grey and lumpy. There were lumps on his forehead and flesh bubbles started emerging from his neck. Later, his arms and legs also started to grow abnormally. His family would tell him that he’s experiencing these symptoms because when Merrick’s mother was pregnant with him, she got knocked down and was frightened by an Elephant at fair.
The saddest moment in Merrick’s life came when his mother passed away due to pneumonia when he was just 11 years old. He later quit his school as he was constantly bullied by other students. Moreover, he was also tortured by his step-mother and father after which he was forced to leave the house.
He later worked different jobs and was also hired as a traveling act and displayed at different shows. The tragic end of his life came on 11 April 1890 at the age of 27 when he found dead in his hospital room. The cause of his death was asphyxia and the doctor who performed the autopsy mentioned that he died due to a dislocated neck.
Joseph Merrick also known as the “Elephant Man” lived a rather uncomfortable and tragic life. He was born in 1862 in Leicester, England to Joseph Rockley Merrick and his wife Mary Jane. At the time of his birth and approximately till the age of 4, Joseph Merrick did not show any signs of disease. After he was 5, his family started to notice his skin, especially the area around his head becoming thick and lumpy and also changing in color resembling that of an elephant.
As he grew older, his body started to deform, his lips swelled up and his skin turned grey and lumpy. There were lumps on his forehead and flesh bubbles started emerging from his neck. Later, his arms and legs also started to grow abnormally. His family would tell him that he’s experiencing these symptoms because when Merrick’s mother was pregnant with him, she got knocked down and was frightened by an Elephant at fair.
The saddest moment in Merrick’s life came when his mother passed away due to pneumonia when he was just 11 years old. He later quit his school as he was constantly bullied by other students. Moreover, he was also tortured by his step-mother and father after which he was forced to leave the house.
He later worked different jobs and was also hired as a traveling act and displayed at different shows. The tragic end of his life came on 11 April 1890 at the age of 27 when he found dead in his hospital room. The cause of his death was asphyxia and the doctor who performed the autopsy mentioned that he died due to a dislocated neck.