The Incredible Story of Tomm Tennent — The Boy Born With Enough Skin for a 5-Year-Old
Over the years, Newsner has shared countless stories of extraordinary children who defied the odds. Yet few have moved readers as deeply as the remarkable case of Tomm Tennent.
Tomm’s story began in 1993, in South East Australia, when he entered the world unlike any baby doctors had ever seen. He was born with enough skin to cover the body of a 5-year-old child. His tiny frame was completely wrinkled, a sight so unusual that medical staff admitted they had never encountered anything like it before.
“When he came out I was quite shocked … I didn’t think a human, or a little baby, could ever look like that,” Tomm’s father, Geoff Tennent, told 60 Minutes Australia back in 2003.
For Tomm and his family, the years that followed were filled with challenges, uncertainty, and hope. But looking at him today, decades later, it’s almost impossible not to be overcome with emotion.
A Unique Child
From the moment he was born, it was clear Tomm was extraordinary. Even before his birth, doctors had noticed unusual results in his ultrasounds, raising concerns that something wasn’t right.
At that point, Geoff and Debbie Tennent, Tomm’s mother, were faced with an agonizing decision: whether or not to go through with the pregnancy.
“We sort of discussed this between us,” Geoff recalled. “And we decided what’s meant to be is meant to be — and we went through with it.”
Despite undergoing numerous tests and routine checkups, no one could have predicted the severity of Tomm’s condition. The moment he was delivered, both parents were stunned.
Debbie remembered the overwhelming shock of having her newborn son placed on her chest for the first time. She admitted she hadn’t been prepared for how he looked, even after all the warnings.
