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(#10) Percilla's Family Had A Hard Time Accepting Her Condition
Percilla's biological mother and father had a hard time coming to terms with their daughter's condition. She didn't just surprise them - she surprised the entire medical community and general public of Puerto Rico.
Her parents brought her to the United States for testing repeatedly, but in the end, Percilla's mother gave up her rights to her daughter. She stayed in Puerto Rico with the family's other six children while Percilla's father put her on display in America. She did, however, occasionally come to America to visit her daughter throughout Percilla's long career as a performer.
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(#12) Emmitt Had A Skin Condition Called Ichthyosis
Ichthyosis is defined as "a family of genetic skin disorders characterized by dry, scaling skin that may be thickened or very thin." Ichthy is a Greek root word for fish; it was this scaly, reptilian appearance that led to Emmitt's stage name "The Alligator-Skinned Boy." The disease is fairly rare, with 16,000 babies born every year with some form of the condition and 300 born with moderate to severe ichthyosis.
There is no cure for ichthyosis, but doctors are developing treatments to ease the symptoms a person would suffer from throughout their life. Due to his condition, Emmitt was unable to sweat properly, so he would spend time between performances sitting in vats of ice water.
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(#4) They Had A Strong Desire To Have Kids
Percilla and Emmitt were like many other married couples and wanted children. Sadly, their first experience with parenthood ended in tragedy. They had a daughter, Francine, who passed away from pneumonia about four months after she was born.
Heartbroken but unwilling to give up, they decided to adopt a baby boy in 1960. His name was Tony, and they called their little piece of land in the town of Gibsonton, FL, P.E.T. Ranch. The nickname stood for Percilla, Emmitt, and Tony. He grew up working the carnival circuit with his parents, operating rides and selling concessions.
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(#1) Percilla Met And Fell In Love With The Alligator Man, Emmitt Bejano
The unique pair met while performing with the Johnny J. Jones Exposition in the late 1930s. Percilla Lauther was described as having a beautiful singing voice and was an accomplished dancer by the time she met Emmitt Bejano, the Alligator-Skinned Man. Emmitt himself was described as kind and gentle; their love quickly bloomed, and they eloped in 1938.
They were just two people with rare skin disorders who truly understood each other and were on the same path in life.
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(#8) Percilla's Promoter Adopted Her After Her Father's Death
Percilla's father's last wish was for Carl Lauther and his wife to adopt Percilla; Lauther had been her sideshow promoter for a brief period of time before her father was killed. He and his wife adopted Percilla as their own, and they continued to promote her as an attraction.
The Lauthers reportedly treated Percilla very well. Percilla was very smart and fluent in English and Spanish. They hired a tutor to make sure she finished her schooling, and when she told them she was lonely, they gave her a pet chimpanzee.
It was very common for sideshow promoters to adopt their "human oddities" in the early 20th century, since their parents often couldn't handle them or knew that performing could give them a better life. Emmitt was also adopted by his promoter, Johnny Bejano.
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(#2) Percilla's Parents Did Not Approve Of The Marriage
It was obvious to those that knew Emmitt and Percilla that they were not just in love - they were perfect for each other. They began making plans for the future, but surprisingly Percilla's parents voiced their dissent.
Carl and Frances Lauther had been her adoptive parents since Percilla was just a toddler, and they had become very protective of her. They were also concerned that as the star of their show, Percilla shouldn't be too exposed to outside influences, such as a husband who might convince her to leave. In the end, the couple put their love for each other first and eloped in 1938.
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During Percilla Lauther's long life, she was known for hypertrichosis, and her father placed her on exhibit when she was only 3. At first, she was descriptively called the "furry little girl" and later called the "monkey woman", but she will always be remembered as Percilla Bejano, the beloved wife of Emmitt, the alligator man. Emmit and Percilla Bejano were part of the freak show industry and performed as the strangest couple in the world.
Percilla being referred to as the monkey woman, and Emmitt was called the alligator man. This couple was special for many reasons, they both have strange and incurable skin problems. The random tool shares 12 details about their heartwarming love story.
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