At 31 years of age, Adam and Neil Pearson look nothing at all like the identical twins they once were. Nothing has genetically changed, but physical – and mentally – the brothers now share very little in common.
Things started changing when the twins were five.
Adam fell once and bumped his forehead – but the lump never faded. His concerned mother took him to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with a tumor caused by type 1 neurofibromatosis, a rare genetic disorder that cause tumors to grow throughout someone’s entire body.
For Adam, the neurofibromatosis manifested itself on his face. The lumps on his face simply kept growing and expanding; no number of surgeries could keep the growths from developing.
Growing up, Adam was often called “Scarface” or “Quasimodo” for his disfigured appearance. Although it was difficult for him to adjust, he has now found his niche by working as an actor with facial disfigurations and views these opportunities as ways “to raise the profile of people like [him] who have a condition that affects their appearance.”
Neil, however, had it a little differently. Initially, his family thought that he had managed to avoid developing neurofibromatosis since his physical appearance didn’t change like Adam’s had.
They were wrong.
The symptoms began appearing nine years later, when Neil and Adam were 14. Neil’s neurofibromatosis tumors, unlike his brother’s, caused his memory to fail. Neil was constantly confused, never remembered where he was, and was ultimately diagnosed with short-term memory.
Now, Neil has to maintain a highly regimented schedule each day – otherwise he forgets everything he’s done or has to do that day.
The brothers have stuck together since day one, and are still using each other as mutual support now, as they continue to grow old together. Both are fearful that they will eventually develop their twin’s symptoms in the future.
But until then, they are ready to face the future together and prepare to take on everything that happens with their twin by their side.
You can watch a clip of them interacting here:
