My Arms and Hands Are Fused Solid | BORN DIFFERENT

A MAN born with ‘boomerang arms’ says he wouldn’t get surgery to change them as his condition makes him who he is. 26-year-old Ryan from Haltom City, Texas was born with arthrogryposis - a condition which halts the development of the joints in the arms and legs, leaving them ‘fused’. In Ryan’s case, it has caused limited mobility in his elbows, fingers and legs. Despite his condition, Ryan lives alone and is capable of doing most things by himself. He told Truly: “It was a struggle growing up, and having to depend on family and other people to get around or change clothes and stuff like that. “As I got older I started figuring out how to do all these things. I’ve always tried to find ways to do things on my own because I don’t like asking people for help.” Ryan began making videos on TikTok, and despite most comments being positive - he has received some negativity. He said: “There are people that say some rude things. ‘You have boomerang arms or you look like someone that died and came back'. I don’t let anything get me down, I don’t make any excuses. A question that I get asked a lot is ‘If you could have surgery to fix it, would you?’ And I’m like ‘No, I don’t think so, because it makes me who I am’." His mother, Pam, added: “He has a great positive outlook and he’s gotten so far with that, his heart is the size of Texas.”