Beaming with delight little Deepak Paswaan shows off his normal body for the first time since undergoing surgery to remove the legs and arms of his underdeveloped twin growing out of his chest.
For years, Deepak, 7, from Bihar, India, had to suffer taunts and bullying from other children over the appalling disfigurement.
Some taunted him as a 'devil' and a 'freak' while others even viewed him as a god.
Look at me now! Deepak Kumar Paswaan, who was born with the legs and arms of his underdeveloped twin brother sticking out of his chest, shows of his new body for the first time since undergoing surgery
Howzat? Deepak is able to fully indulge his love of cricket after the operation to remove his extra limbs
Determined: But before the surgery Deepak struggled to enjoy his favourite sport
Hindu pilgrims used to visit his home to worship him as an incarnation of the god Vishnu, who is often depicted with more than four limbs.
Last year his family for help to get the unwanted limbs removed and give Deepak the chance of a normal life
And Deepak's world was turned upside down when leading surgeons from Bangalore's Fortis Hospital agreed to operate for free.
The pioneering surgery, which was carried out last year, would normally cost around £50,000, a sum his impoverished family could never have dreamed of affording.
Happily the gruelling four-hour operation was a complete success.
Now fully-healed and looking like a healthy, normal seven-year-old, cricket-mad Deepak has been given a new lease of life.
He said: 'I can run faster than my two elder brothers - before I could never keep up. I really like my new body. It's much more fun. I am very happy.'
Footage from the sensational four-hour surgery will be shown on Channel 5 on Thursday night in Eight-Limbed Boy: Extraordinary People, at 9pm.
No comments:
Post a Comment