Gruesome Facts About Grady Stiles, A Freak Show Gone Wrong
Growing up in a carnival family sounds like all fun and games. But when it comes to Grady “Lobster Boy” Styles, life as a circus performer ultimately went terribly wrong.
1. He Was Born Different
Grady Stiles was born with a condition that characterized his entire life—ectrodactyly. The genetic disability affected his hands, giving him fused fingers and a missing middle finger. The result earned him the show name “Lobster Boy”. Normal parents might find that alarming, but Stiles’ parents had a more unusual response.
2. They Made Money Off Him
The deformity ran in the family, and Stiles’s parents used it to their advantage. Even before they had him, they made a living traveling as a carnival freak show. They made quite a living, too, banking thousands of dollars each year. By age seven, Stiles' parents added him to the fray, though not as easily as they expected.
3. He Had It Worse
Though the condition primarily affected the hands of his family members, it got to Stiles’ feet too. As a result, he couldn’t walk and needed a wheelchair. He found his way around that, though, learning to use his hands to pull himself around.
While his life proved unique, he did find a little normalcy, at least for a while.
4. He Met A Girl
Just 19 years old at the time, a young woman named Mary Teresa ran away from home. She joined the traveling circus, where she first met Stiles. She discovered that, even with his disability, he’d developed surprising strength, especially in his upper body. But though she felt drawn to him, she definitely came to regret it.
