Just read a short but interesting article on Joseph Merrick
The Tragic Tale Of "The Elephant Man" Who Just Wanted To Be Like Everybody Else
Billed as "half a man, half an elephant," Joseph Merrick made a living exploiting his deformities as a freak show performer.
allthatsinteresting.com
Even with his deformities he stated losing his mother at the age 11 was his biggest tragedy. He only lived to be 27 and as close as he ever got to love was meeting a woman (set up by a Dr to give Mr Merrick confidence after other women had shown him revulsion) she smiled at him and shook his hand, he continued to write to the woman over his brief life.
More info on his letters to the woman https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-41207179
