The 24-year-old New Yorker, Colby Van Voorhis, became a TikTok sensation with over 80,000 followers and 15 million views on his channel despite being born with missing limbs due to a rare genetic disorder, thrombocytopenia-absent radius syndrome (TAR).
The differently-abled man, who was born with no arm bones and without any knee joints, called himself an ‘armless freak’ which is also his handle on TikTok.
Colby Van Voorhis thought that cracking jokes was the best way to help relaxing people around him.
He was quoted by Metro UK, “I make jokes about myself and I gave myself the armless freak name in middle school. I know I am a bit freaky looking and the videos are my way of making people feel comfortable being around me.” He has accepted himself for who he is and wishes for people to look past his body.
Despite his obvious physical disadvantages, Colby is able to feed, dress and bathe himself to live an independent life and happy life. He has devised his own unique ways of moving around the house and climbing stairs and has said he’s grateful for what he is able to do.
Voorhis is only 4ft 1in tall and said: “Anyone can make a difference to the world, however small. People tell me I am an inspiration but I am just living my life. I have never moped around or felt sad about how I look because my condition has made me who I am. I have fun with my videos and it’s a good way for me to be an advocate for other people like me who might not be as confident.”
With 81,200 followers and 25 videos, he has garnered over 15 million views. He usually makes videos mocking his own appearance or showing people how he performs day-to-day tasks, like climbing the stairs or throwing a frisbee.
