Health3 min(s) read
Published 12:50 14 Aug 2026 GMT
A father living with an extremely rare condition that has caused his hands to grow to around 10 times their typical size has opened up about his relationship and the assumptions strangers repeatedly make about his girlfriend.
Mark Davidson Jacildo, from the Philippines, was born with macrodactyly, a rare condition thought to only affect approximately one in 100,000 people.
The condition causes one or more fingers or toes to grow excessively and can lead to pain, stiffness, and restricted movement. In Mark's case, his left hand weighs around 15lbs, while his right weighs approximately 4.5lbs.
Describing the sensation to TLC's Most Extreme Humans, he said: "It's like having a rock in your hands."
His condition has made everyday activities difficult since childhood. Mark remembers being in third grade and struggling with tasks other children could do easily, including tying his shoelaces.
Simple jobs such as chopping vegetables can also be challenging, while he has faced cruel comments and comparisons to the Marvel character the Incredible Hulk because of his appearance.
Despite this, Mark has built a relationship with his girlfriend Jelai, whom he met on Facebook around four years ago.
Jelai admitted to Truly that she initially wondered whether photographs of Mark had been digitally altered.
"At first I didn't think his photos were real, if it was edited or not," she said. "I found him attractive. I'm really here with him because I love him."
Mark said he appreciated the fact that Jelai never focused on his condition when they first met.
"She didn't really ask about my condition or what happened to my hands. I think that's what I like about her," he explained.
The couple regularly encounter negative comments online, including claims that Jelai is only with Mark because of his supposed wealth.
His response to that assumption was rather straightforward: "You know, in reality I don't really have that much [money]."
However, another accusation bothers him considerably more — that his condition means he cannot properly care for his daughter or contribute to his family.
"They think that I wouldn't be a great father. I'm just someone that would make life harder for Jelai because Jelai would have to focus on taking care of me," Mark said.
But he insisted the reality is very different.
"In reality, I'm the one taking care of her all the time," he said. "I think they were thinking that I have like a caregiver. Someone helps me put on my clothes, even eating."
In reality, Jelai's main role in helping him is putting his earrings in, while Mark has adapted to handling most other aspects of daily life himself.
He credits his outlook with helping him cope with his condition, saying: "I always have a positive mindset. I can't do anything about my hands. It is what it is."
Jelai said she admires the way he continues to care for their family despite the challenges he faces.
"I love how he handles himself as a person, even knowing he has that type of condition, he still manages to take care and always look after us," she claimed.
Treatment for macrodactyly can be particularly complicated. The National Library of Medicine describes surgery for the condition as among the most difficult procedures in congenital hand surgery and notes that repeated operations and the possibility of the condition returning can sometimes lead doctors to consider amputation.
However, Mark has adapted to life with his condition and doesn't see himself as fundamentally different from anyone else.
"I'm just a dad making sure that I provide for my family, going to work, hanging out with my friends. Just a normal guy," he told TLC.
