Over the years, Newsner has shared many remarkable stories, but few have touched readers’ hearts like that of Tomm Tennent. Born in South East Australia in 1993, Tomm came into the world with enough skin to cover a 5-year-old child, leaving doctors baffled.

“When he came out, I was quite shocked. I didn’t think a human, or a little baby, could ever look like that,” Tomm’s father, Geoff Tennent, recalled.

Despite ultrasound indications that something was unusual, no one could have predicted the extent of Tomm’s condition. His parents chose to go through with the pregnancy, deciding that “what’s meant to be is meant to be.”

Tomm’s mother, Debbie, remembered feeling shocked yet overjoyed to hold her son for the first time. However, medical experts were puzzled. Tomm’s excess skin had no clear cause, and doctors hoped he might grow into it. Researchers spent months studying him, eventually discovering that Tomm’s levels of hyaluronic acid—a compound found in skin—were 100 times higher than normal. Interestingly, this is the same trait found in Shar Pei puppies, whose wrinkles fade as they grow. Doctors hoped the same would happen for Tomm.

Thankfully, it did. Although Tomm faced challenges growing up, including teasing at school, he remained positive. “They are my friends, and they don’t really care how I look,” he once said.

Today, Tomm is 28 years old and reportedly living a happy life with his wife, Hannah, in Frankston, Victoria, Australia. His story remains a testament to resilience, acceptance, and the power of inner beauty.