Mark Davidson Jacildo has spent his life adapting to an extremely rare condition that caused his hands to grow to 10 times their usual size. Yet some of the harshest challenges have come from strangers judging his relationship, independence and ability to care for his family.

The father from the Philippines has macrodactyly, a condition believed to affect just 1 in 100,000 people. According to the National Library of Medicine, it causes excessive growth in one or more fingers or toes and can lead to pain, stiffness and limited mobility.

Mark was born with the condition. His left hand now weighs 15lbs, while his right hand weighs 5lbs, bringing their combined weight to 9kg.

Describing the physical burden during an appearance on TLC’s Most Extreme Humans, Mark said: “It’s like having a rock in your hands.” That weight has affected ordinary activities throughout his life, forcing him to find ways of handling tasks that other people may take for granted.

Mark remembers being among the few children in his third grade class who could not tie their own shoelaces. Everyday jobs such as chopping vegetables are also more difficult because of the size and weight of his hands.

Alongside those practical obstacles, Mark has faced cruel abuse from commenters who have compared him with Marvel superhero the Incredible Hulk. The judgment has also extended to his personal life, particularly his relationship with his girlfriend, Jelai.

The couple met on Facebook four years ago. Jelai admitted to truly that she initially questioned whether the pictures she saw were genuine, saying: “At first I didn’t think his photos were real, if it was edited or not.”

Her uncertainty about the photographs did not stop a relationship from developing. Jelai said: “I found him attractive. I’m really here with him because I love him.”

For Mark, Jelai’s reaction to his condition made an impression because she did not immediately interrogate him about his hands. He said: “She didn’t really ask about my condition or what happened to my hands. I think that’s what I like about her.”

Despite Jelai’s explanation, the couple still encounter comments claiming that she remains with Mark because of his money. Mark dismissed that idea with a blunt observation: “You know, in reality I don’t really have that much [money].”

Another accusation troubles him more deeply. Some people assume that he cannot care for his daughter or support his family, and that Jelai must devote herself to looking after him.

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Mark said: “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.”

He challenged that assumption directly, saying: “In reality, I’m the one taking care of her all the time.” He added that people imagine he needs a caregiver to help him dress and eat, although he has learned to navigate nearly everything himself.

The only task Jelai helps Mark with is putting in his earrings. His approach is grounded in acceptance, as he explained: “I always have a positive mindset. I can’t do anything about my hands. It is what it is.”

Jelai said his ability to manage his condition is one of the qualities she loves about him. She said: “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.”

Treatment for macrodactyly can be difficult. The National Library of Medicine describes surgical interventions as among the most challenging procedures in congenital hand surgery and notes that recurrence and repeated operations can lead to consideration of amputations.

Mark, however, has built a life around managing the condition and providing for those closest to him. As he told TLC: “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.”