5 Incredible, Yet Real People Whose Existence Is Hard to Believe (12 photos)

What do we mean by "strange"? There are countless variations: they collect socks, they enjoy solitude, they ignore fashion. But there is a category of people who became strange against their will.





Nature, genetics, heredity, illness, chance, and other factors played a cruel joke on them. But they were able to embrace their uniqueness, their peculiarity, and their strangeness, and by their example show that our world is much more multifaceted and amazing in its diversity.

1. Lydia Fairchild: A Mother Who Is Not Genetically the Mother of Her Children



In 2002, American Lydia Fairchild, a mother of two and pregnant with her third, faced an incredible situation when applying for government assistance. As part of the standard procedure, she was required to prove her relationship with the children through DNA testing.

The results shocked everyone: tests showed that she was not the biological mother of her own children. Authorities suspected her of fraud and even began threatening to seize the children and prosecute them. The situation seemed absurd – the children were hers, and witnesses confirmed the births.





Even during the birth of her third child, a sample was taken in the presence of forensic experts—and again, the test denied maternity. It seemed scientifically impossible.

The solution was found by a lawyer who came across an article about a similar case involving another woman, Karen Keegan. It turned out that Lydia was a human chimera. In the womb, early in development, she absorbed her identical twin, and two different DNA lines (two sets of cells) coexist in her body. The twin's "foreign" DNA was found in her reproductive organs (ovaries), while her "primary" DNA was found in her blood and cheek cells, where a swab is usually taken for testing.



When tests were performed on other tissues (hair, skin samples from hidden areas), maternity was definitively proven. Lydia Fairchild's story became the world's most famous case of tetragametic chimerism and a striking example of how biological reality can be more complex and surprising than any science fiction. Her case helped change legal procedures in such ambiguous situations.

2. Victoria Wright, who embraced herself



Victoria Wright was born with Crouzon syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes the bones of the skull to fuse prematurely, affecting her facial features. As a child, doctors suggested risky skull surgery to correct her appearance, which would have likely led to blindness. Victoria and her mother made the courageous decision to refuse the intervention.



Lydia played herself in the TV series "Misfits" (2009)

She faced bullying and cruel comments because of her appearance. However, she didn't give up: she earned a law degree to fight for the rights of people with disabilities and special needs. She expresses her story and position through the project "Not Just a Funny Face," which aims to combat stigma, educate, and protect people's rights to look different without being pressured by society and the medical profession. Her motto: "My face is not a disease, not a problem, and not a mistake that needs to be corrected."

3. Anaïs and Samantha: A Newly Found Sister



Anaïs Bordier, adopted as a baby in South Korea, learned at age 33 that she had a twin sister.

The mystery began to unravel when a colleague noticed her spitting image of a YouTuber and American actress named Samantha Futerman. After Googling her, Anaïs discovered that she shared the same birthday—November 19, 1982. A voice inside her told her, "She's your twin."



A DNA sample was later sent to experts in the US, who confirmed they were twins.

Their incredible story inspired the 2015 film "Twinsters," starring Anais and Samantha themselves.

4. Fray Tormenta: Two Sides of One



Fray Tormenta (real name Sergio Gutiérrez Benítez) is a unique figure in the wrestling world and a Mexican Catholic priest. For 23 years, he ran an orphanage with the money he earned performing in the ring, wearing a yellow and red mask as a luchador. His identity remained a secret for a long time, as he feared that knowledge of his priesthood would undermine his credibility as an athlete.



His incredible story inspired several works of fiction, the most famous of which was the film "Supernacho" (2006), starring Jack Black. Having officially retired in 2011, Fray Tormenta continues to serve as a priest and wears his iconic mask during services, while his adopted son, Fray Tormenta Jr., has continued his legacy in the ring.

5. Hero and Villain



Charles "Pretty Boy" Floyd was one of the most notorious gangsters of the Great Depression-era in the United States. Despite his criminal career, he became a folk hero in the rural Midwest. During bank robberies, he often burned mortgage records, effectively writing off the debts of many farmers struggling with poverty.



This action, along with his generosity to the poor, earned him a reputation as a modern-day Robin Hood. He was shot by FBI agents in 1934, becoming one of the first public enemies to be publicly killed by the Bureau.