Jesús Aceves has hypertrichosis, which makes his hair grow abundantly over his face and back. Because of his condition, he’s also known as The Wolf Man. But he’s tired of this alias and wants to live a normal life.
Meet Jesús Aceves, a 55-year-old man born with a condition called hypertrichosis, which means he has abnormal hair growth over his body, especially his face. Although married with kids, Jesús isn’t fully happy with his living conditions. He says he and his family suffer discrimination. In an interview, one of his kids mentioned, “People call me names, and they even tell their kids not to be my friends.”
He worked in the circus all his life, traveling through several cities. But now, he’s tired of being seen as a freak. As a consequence of years on the road, he’s been known as The Wolf Man.
Back home and not in the circus anymore, he’s facing another challenge: finding a “normal” job. He needs to support his family since his wife works in temporary jobs.
After several failed job interviews, he agreed to try something he had always avoided: shave his face. He relied on his family barber to transform him, even creating eyebrows and lashes.
The experience was difficult since the face is an extremely sensitive body area, but both he and his wife believed that simply by shaving, he would be able to find a job.
Jesús did several interviews, and it’s confident that now he’ll find somewhere to work besides the circus. If this happens, he must shave his face every 2 days.
Although rare, some conditions aren’t impossible to have. Luckily, people find a way to overcome the difficulties a rare condition brings and strive in life. Hannah Tyre, for example, was born with osteogenesis imperfecta, meaning that her bones break very easily. But her love for makeup made her an internet influencer, reaching millions of followers. We hope that, by reaching the mainstream media, people with genetic diseases won’t suffer more discrimination.
Preview photo credit A True Story / Youtube
Black Couple Opens Up About Their Journey to Adopting Three White Children
Sadie and Jarvis Sampson: A Journey to Parenthood Beyond Expectations
Sadie and Jarvis Sampson spent years trying to conceive, exhausting every option before they came to terms with the idea that their path to parenthood might look different. Then, an unexpected text message changed everything overnight.
The couple, married in January 2018, initially tried to conceive naturally. When that didn’t work, they turned to every method they could think of: ovulation tests, prenatal vitamins, fertility tracking apps, and fertility monitors.
“We even tried the unsolicited advice of friends, family, and strangers to ‘just relax.’ For 14 months, we tried, prayed, and waited. Month after month, we faced negative pregnancy tests. It felt like we were running out of options,” Sadie shared with Love What Matters.
Doctors offered little guidance, often advising Sadie to lose weight to increase her chances of conceiving. Determined, Sadie underwent gastric surgery and successfully lost 28 pounds. Her OBGYN was thrilled and told her, “If you’re not pregnant within six months, I’ll refer you to a fertility specialist.”
Despite the weight loss and renewed hope, pregnancy still didn’t happen. “I felt like I was born to be a mother,” Sadie admitted. “But even after everything, we had to accept that we might only ever be an aunt and uncle.”
A Life-Changing Text
Just as they began to let go of their dream, Sadie received a text from a friend asking if they’d consider fostering a baby. The baby’s biological parents were unable to care for him, and the caseworker initially asked them to foster while the mother sought treatment.
The couple hesitated, afraid of growing attached to a child they might not be able to keep. But soon, the story took a surprising turn: “The birth mom decided she would like you guys to adopt the child instead,” the caseworker told them.
“Holy crap!” Sadie recalled exclaiming. “We went from being childless to being told, ‘You guys are parents!’ overnight.”
The weekend was filled with excitement, nerves, and cautious optimism as they waited to see if the birth mother would change her mind. But by Monday, it was official: the mother wanted them to adopt her son through an independent adoption.
Their baby boy, Ezra Lee, was born prematurely at 33 weeks, weighing just 4 pounds, 5 ounces. “He was so tiny, he literally fit in one of my husband’s hands,” Sadie recalled.
Building a Family That Doesn’t Have to Match
The Sampsons shared their adoption story on social media, and friends and family rallied around them, purchasing 55 out of 72 items from their baby registry in just three days.
Ezra’s adoption was finalized in October 2020. The family celebrated the occasion with matching t-shirts that read, “Families don’t have to match.”
In 2021, the Sampsons’ family grew again when they welcomed twin girls, Journee and Destinee, through embryo donation. Staying true to their family motto, this Black couple became proud parents to three white children: Ezra, Journee, and Destinee.
When faced with judgment or curiosity about their family dynamic, Sadie and Jarvis have one clear message: their family is built on the strongest foundation possible—love.
Their story is a powerful reminder that families come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, and that love knows no boundaries. Please share their inspiring journey with others.
Leave a Reply