It’s Dede: The “Tree Man”
Dede, aka “Tree Man“, is an Indonesian fisherman who has been slowly changing from a human into a tree… or at least that is what it appears.
After cutting his knee as a teenager, Dede began to grow tree like warts that have baffled local doctors and medical experts for over 20 years.
His condition has become so bad that he can no longer carry out even simple household tasks. He lost his job and his wife left him to raise their two children in poverty.
For a while he worked in a freak show as the “Tree Man” to try to make ends meet.
Although he gets some support from his extended family, he’s the subject of ridicule and abuse in his village.
An American doctor has finally determined that the cause of his problem is the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) combined with a genetic condition that impedes his immune system, allowing the warts to grow unchecked.
On April 4, 2008, Dede received surgery in which medics cut off over 4 pounds of warts from his body. Although not completely healed, he can see the outline of his fingers and toes for the first time in over a decade.
Dede has two more operations to go through but is already excited to begin his new life.
“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.”
By Super Sied on 26-04-2008
Comment by darkiwng duck
April 26th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
We didn’t break free from that pantsy country England by voting! We did it by throwing their stinking’ tea in our American Harbour and why? Because Americans don’t like tea. We like coffee. And Americans don’t like wine. We like beer. Ice cold. Ice-cold-best-in-a-bottle-but-fine-any-way-you-can-get-it-belching. It would make a great movie! Better than that damn Columbus. America was already there, it would take a genius to invent a toilet bowl! wake-up-in-a-pool-of-it-next-day-beer!
Comment by Trish
April 26th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
UH, DD, what does that have to do with this story?
Comment by ron shroff
April 27th, 2008 at 10:55 am
this was news about a year ago
Comment by Sultan_Azteca
April 27th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Trish:
Don’t try to make much sense out of Duckie. He seems to be rehearsing here for his soon to be released blog “The Web-foot Monologues”.
I second Ron Shroff: this is old news. It is still gross, though.
What is all that bark like tissue? Is it supposed to be dead or living? If dead, why it doesn’t simply fall off, like a scab? If alive, are they more like skin tumor-like growths?
Would they be contagious at contact? I would guess they are, but I see interviewers touching the stuff.
I wouldn’t get close to him, much less knowing that the desease is HPV related!
Comment by Sun Tzu
April 27th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Um actually he just went through the surgery so it kind of makes it new again.
Comment by Tiger
April 28th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
How did he put on his clothes?
Comment by darkwing duck
April 28th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
That a good question
what the deal with this guy
Comment by Matt Langley
May 3rd, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Actually DD, American smugglers threw Indian tea for Americans (who liked tea a lot), into the harbour. They did this because it was exempt of taxes and therefore cheaper than their own smuggled tea. The only non-colonial part of this was the decision to waive the tea tax.
Incidentally there is good evidence that without tea, the early US cities would have been wiped out by disease. Tea has the benefit of anti septic qualities that mean that it is safe to drink when the water it is made from is not. That is why the first cities not to be subject to periodic wipe outs due to disease were in the China and Britain. Before tea people would rely on ale but this is not ideal for productivity!
Comment by tabby
May 8th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
this is the tree man
Comment by ST
May 9th, 2008 at 7:38 am
HPV is generally sexually transmitted. Most people don’t know they have it, and usually isn’t all over the body like his. His HPV was made worse from the immune deficiency he was born with.
Comment by ???
May 11th, 2008 at 10:39 am
really?
Comment by ???
May 11th, 2008 at 10:40 am
whoo hoo!
Comment by rex
May 13th, 2008 at 3:48 am
it seems like a parasite kinda to the body
Comment by buzz
May 17th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Damn. I’d have comitted suicide long ago had something like that happened to me. It must be tough. Really feel sorry for that guy.
Comment by Cinthia
May 19th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
OMG!!! this is too bad. Hope they find a cure for him.
Comment by Todd
May 19th, 2008 at 11:59 pm
This disease is sexually transmitted, and this guy wants to get married. what a horndog
Comment by Maggie
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:34 pm
The way he got this was through a cut on his knee, not having sex. It’s not his fault he has this, so does that mean he can never love someone again? Jeez…
Comment by marlyn
June 17th, 2008 at 4:48 am
Good i cvould hardly see a human being sooner or later he may enjoyed his full kife of not bbeing tease with otherpeople or ashamed. goodluck.
Comment by secuono
June 23rd, 2008 at 3:11 pm
i saw a show about him and in the end he refused help. im guessing he wanted attention in hopes to make more money, but when that failed dreadfully, he went back for the help. dumbass…
Comment by Mike
June 25th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
There are more than 100 types of HPV; only a few can be transmitted sexually. HPV is aquired by children (who, incidentally, have not had sex) more often than adults and can manifest itself as one of a multitude of types of different warts that usually go away on their own. “generally sexually transmitted” is incorrect.
Comment by yugiminshiboutshu inythinasd
July 10th, 2008 at 4:39 am
his story is very sad… i feel very sorry and sad for him. i really hope he gets better and he can be fixed.
Comment by The Canadian
August 4th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
dude.. Americans like watered down, piss warm beer! that costs under 2 dollars… iv tasted your shit before man…. im glad im Canadian! our beer has a higher quality, rich velvety taste that slides down a man’s throat with ease.. yours however does not
Comment by gh
August 5th, 2008 at 11:54 am
is he real or is this photoshop doing and how does he wear colthes i really want to know
Comment by gh
August 5th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
i bet it is no really it is fake to make money for himself
Comment by sara
August 16th, 2008 at 6:20 am
And how does him get dressed?
Comment by ck
September 16th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
how do you jerk off
Comment by ck
September 16th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
and canada sucks compared to America even if their beer is better you don’t have all the hot women we have so when you get drunk you end up having sex with your male best friend
Comment by junita
September 23rd, 2008 at 7:48 am
dis is so nasty
Comment by junita
September 23rd, 2008 at 7:52 am
IM SO SORRY TO HEAR AND SEE WHAT HAPPEND TO YOU I HOPPE YOU GUYS&LADIES GET BETTER SOON GOD BLESS YOU AND SORRY ABOUT THE COMMENT BEFORE
Comment by Mat
October 4th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
is canada even a country?
Comment by Smiley
October 13th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Why would he want attention? Like, he is a tree! Its a sad rare condition that got him.
Comment by this is nuts
October 13th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
keep your comments about the image you guys, your arguing about politics and history and which countries beer is better get a god damn life
Comment by yeah...
October 16th, 2008 at 4:20 am
he contracted it through his a cut on his knee but they said part of it is because he has HPV which is in fact an STD, he can pass the HPV to someone else but whether or not he can pass on the tree warts is totally different.
Comment by Mighty Mouse
November 13th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
The display of ignorance on this site is mind blowing!!
Comment by chingkulingkang
December 10th, 2008 at 6:25 am
he can marry a tree as many as he wants, he can go the forest live there with his tree wives… the bigger tree is much better.
Comment by Jabba
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:39 am
American beer is like piss
Comment by ray bailey
April 15th, 2009 at 11:51 am
how big is his wood? with the looks of his feet pretty dam big!!!!!!
Comment by Kat
April 30th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
I hope u get better.That's fucked up!!!
Comment by fayeonna ford
April 30th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
This boy said "thats nasty". do u have ur own house?Are u felling well
Comment by amy-arlington
May 14th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
I believe that if the man wants to get married he should be able to. People have no right to judge him or talk about him cause of something that WAS NOT his fault. You people need to grow up and get a freaking life. Everyone has the right to be happy. Some people are cool with gays getting married but then when DD wantgs to get married everyone make a big humungous deal about it. Give the poor man a chance at this crazy thing we call love… For Christ Sake… Yes this may be an ols story but gees.. Things like this burn me up!!!
Comment by Shorty
June 3rd, 2009 at 11:35 pm
Brother i hope that you just have faith and trust in almighty god to save your life and see you through your calamity jus keep the faith god bless
Comment by noodle
July 28th, 2009 at 2:37 am
You people are ridiculous. This poor man has a virus, you people posting negative comments are going to have karma give you what you deserve……haven't you ever had a wart…..show some compassion!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Arthur
August 30th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
His clothes are specially tailored to accommodate these tree-like growths, which are caused by the human papilloma virus, or HPV. Usually, HPV wouldn't cause growths like these, but Dede's immune system has been compromised, allowing these warts to grow and spread, resulting in the growths he has.
Recently, TLC broadcast a new episode revealing that these warts have returned. Apparently, his body wasn't able to take the full treatment that his doctor, Anthony Gaspari, came up with. The episode also revealed the existence of a second Indonesian treeman, a man named Zainal, who also has this disease.
Comment by Milli
September 4th, 2009 at 11:07 pm
i think it'd be fun to be him
i would run around town chasing children and screaming "I AM The Tree Man!!!! FEAR MAH! >:U"
Comment by Xavier D.
September 14th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
He has a chronic immune defect and his body couldn't fight off the HPV-2 virus he contract through a cut in his knee. HPV-2 causes common skin warts but sense he has a white blood cell deficiency the virus hijacked his skin cells causing him to produce an enormous amount of keratin(google it), and therefore the common warts grew uncontrolled.
Comment by @CoolKiddZay
September 14th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
visit this link: http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/conditions/10/02/t...
Comment by Daniel
October 29th, 2009 at 12:50 am
This guy is a freak and i want to cut his arms and legs off with a chain saw!
thanks you come again.