‘Turtle Boy’ No Longer: 6-Year-Old Gets 11-Pound Mole Removed From Back

A 6-year-old Colombian boy will no longer be referred to as “turtle boy” or “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle” because of an 11-pound mole on his back. Little Didier from an extremely remote village in Colombia has shed both the derogatory title of “turtle boy” and the mole which covered his back creating an image similar to a tortoise shell, The Blaze reports. The 11-pound mole covered almost three-quarters of his little body including his entire back and part of his stomach. The rare congenital melanocytic nevus was recently removed and thankfully found not to be malignant. According to National Institute of Health statistics republished on The Blaze, the rare mole affects approximately 1 percent of newborns, but most do not reach the extreme size evident on Didier.

National Geographic featured Didier in a broadcast which aired last Sunday, mole-free for the first time in his life. Through the help of modern mobile media, Didier’s story spread despite the technological limitations of his remote rural surroundings. United Kingdom Channel 4 news reported that Dr. Neil Bullstrode and his team completed a series of complicated skin grafts after the 11-pound mole was removed. According to The Daily Mail, Didier’s family was “ostracized” by the other villagers who were fearful that the giant mole was caused by supernatural powers. Didier was unable to participate in typical childhood activities, he had never been to school.

“I want to grow up, but the mole won’t let me,” Didier stated during the National Graphic interview.

The little boy was reportedly speechless when he was finally able to see his body without the 11-pound mole. Didier recovered from the mole removal quickly and was exited about attending his first day of school and playing with other children in the village.