Gina Heslop
In 1993, a baby boy named Tomm Tennent was born in South East Australia with a unique and mysterious condition. Tomm had enough skin to cover the body of a five-year-old child, which stunned his parents, doctors, and the entire world. His condition made everyone wonder what his life would be like.
Tomm’s parents knew their baby would be different, but they were not prepared for the severity of his condition. Despite considering terminating the pregnancy after hearing that something was wrong, they decided to continue. When Tomm was born, his father, Geoff Tennent, was shocked.
He told 60 Minutes Australia in 2003, “When he came out I was quite shocked (…) I didn’t think a human, or a little baby, could ever look like that.” Tomm’s mother also described the moment she first saw him, saying, “My heart came up to my throat, but at the same time it was lovely to pick him up and cuddle him.”
Over the years, Tomm spent a lot of time in hospitals, not because he was sick, but because doctors wanted to study his condition and learn how to help him. Since there were no documented cases like his, the doctors had difficulty understanding what caused his excess skin. Eventually, they discovered that Tomm’s condition was similar to that of the Chinese dog breed, Shar Pei. Tomm had levels of Hyaluronic acid in his skin that were 100 times higher than normal, much like Shar Pei puppies. Knowing that these levels decrease as puppies grow, doctors hoped the same would happen for Tomm, and they were right.
Despite facing certain difficulties, Tomm was always a lovable boy who embraced his unique appearance. When asked about how his friends viewed him, Tomm told 60 Minutes, “Not really (…) because they are my friends and they don’t really care how I look. Sometimes they say I look cool, sometimes they say I look really cool, and sometimes they don’t say anything.”
Since the interview in 2003, many years have passed, and Tomm now looks completely normal with no excess skin. Although his story didn’t receive much media attention as he grew up, many people were curious about how he turned out. According to his Facebook, Tomm is happily married to his wife, Hannah. He shared a quote on his profile that reflects his positive outlook on life: “Life’s simple. You make choices, and you don’t look back.”
It’s heartwarming to see how Tomm has grown and thrived over the years, leading a happy and fulfilling life.
