Khaberni - In North Sumatra, Indonesia, the story of the Manurung family has become the talk of the world after videos documenting their lives went viral, after four out of six siblings were born suffering from a rare genetic syndrome that affects facial features, making them resemble 'lizards'.
According to reports, the family lives in the village of Kidongkang, where initially they faced social stigma and isolation due to their unusual appearance, as the locals believed the family was cursed by evil spirits. However, medical reality revealed that the cause is genetic, not myth or a curse.
The father of the family revealed in a documentary on the channel "Truly" that the condition is genetic and that he himself suffers from it, saying: "Our facts are clear, our faces have changed, but we accept it and live our lives."
The four siblings suffer from Treacher Collins Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes permanent deformities in facial structure such as fragile cheekbones, small jaw, and abnormal gum growth, without affecting intelligence, internal organs or life expectancy.
Despite this, the family faced significant social challenges, as one of the siblings named Surya Manurung spoke about the difficulties in finding work due to appearance-based rejection, and confirmed that the early years were filled with discrimination and loss of self-confidence.
With the rise of social media, the family decided to face these challenges publicly, their honest style in sharing their lives and their self-confidence earned them great fame, with their YouTube and TikTok subscribers reaching millions of followers.
Their platforms turned into a source of income and at the same time a platform to increase awareness about rare genetic conditions and encourage self-acceptance.
