Rudy Santos | |
|---|---|
| Born | Leonico Rudy Santos 1953 |
| Died | December 2022 (aged 68–69) |
| Occupation | Freakshow performer |
| Years active | 1970-1980 |
| Known for | Oldest recorded man with a parasitic twin |
| Children | 1 |
Leoncio Rudy Santos (1953 - December 2022 [1] ), also known by his stage name Octoman, was a Filipino with a parasitic twin. He was the oldest person ever recorded with this condition. Remaining from his parasitic sibling were an extra leg and couple of arms, including shoulders and an extra pair of nipples, all of them attached to Santos's pelvis and protruding from his abdomen. Also, an undeveloped head was attached to his sternum, presenting an incipient ear and a patch of hair. Additionally, Santos's own right leg was severely deformed, ending on a stump at the height of the knee, preventing him from walking without the use of crutches.
Belonging to an extremely poor family, during the 1970s and 1980s, Santos earned a living by appearing in freak shows. [2] He was sometimes the main attraction in travelling fairs. According to a source, at one point in his life, he gained 20,000 pesos every night. [3]
During the late 1980s, he retired himself into seclusion in Zamboanga City, plunging into ten years of extreme poverty. [2] His wife and daughter joined him. He appeared in the television show Wish Ko Lang! . In the show, he was reunited with his wife, who served as a domestic helper in Manila. From the show, he gained a sari-sari store and a college scholarship for his daughter. [3] [4] In 2008, he was examined by a Filipino expert in separation of conjoined twins, and a removal surgery was deemed viable, [2] but Santos ultimately rejected it, claiming that he had grown too attached to his twin during his life to have him removed. [3]