The Incredibly Inspiring Story Of The Man With The Upside-Down Head

When Claudio Vieira de Oliveira was born, doctors advised his mother to starve him to death as he was so badly deformed. Thankfully, she chose to ignore this advice and therefore we can bring you his incredibly inspiring story.

Claudio, from Monte Santo in Brazil, was born with an upside-down head that faces the wrong way and deformed limbs due to a condition known as arthrogryposis.

The condition effectively fused his joints together. It's incredibly rare however, this has never stopped him from doing exactly what he wants to do.

From a young age, he realised that if he put a pen in his mouth, he could type. He could use his lips to operate a phone or computer mouse. He was incredibly resourceful, and ensured that he could find ways to do pretty much anything. Up until he was eight years old, he had to be carried everywhere. He couldn't use a wheelchair due to his unusual shape.

However, he found that he could walk on his knees. His family changed the floor in their home to ensure it was as easy for him as possible.

He went to university at State University of Feira de Santana and qualified as an accountant. Now, he's published his first book - 'El Mundo Esta A Contramano' (The World Is The Wrong Way Around) and has been invited to travel the world as a public speaker.

He said: "Since I was a child I've always liked to keep myself busy and work - I don't like to depend totally on other people.

"I do a bit of accounting, research for clients and consulting.

"I have learned to turn on the TV, pick up my cell phone, turn on the radio, use the internet, my computer - I do it all by myself."

He added: "Throughout my life I was able to adapt my body to the world. Right now, I don't see myself as being different. I am a normal person.

"I don't see things upside-down. This is one of the things I always talk about in my interventions as a public speaker.

"Nowadays it's much easier to deal with the public, I'm not afraid of it anymore and I can say that I am a professional, international public speaker and that I receive invitations from all over the world."

What an incredible bloke.

Words by Mel Ramsay

Featured image credit: Barcroft media

Mel Ramsay

Mel Ramsay has been a Senior Journalist for Tyla and LADbible since 2015. She started her career writing obituaries and funeral guides online. Since then, her work has been published in a wide variety of national and local news sites. She is part of the BBC's Generation project and has spoken about young people, politics and mental health on television, radio and online. Contact her - [email protected]

@melramsay_