Dede Koswara (1971 – January 30, 2016), also known as the "Tree Man", was an Indonesian carpenter with epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV), a rare disease that causes the human papillomavirus (HPV) to grow uncontrollably, leading to the development of warts resembling tree bark.
At the age of ten, he started to develop warts around his injured knee, which then grew onto his limbs and face.
The warts continued to grow uncontrollably, which eventually limited his movements and made him dependent on others for his daily routines.
[2] In August 2008, an episode of ABC's Medical Mysteries, titled "Tree Man", was released, which was dedicated to Koswara's story.
[5] Dede Koswara died on 30 January 2016, aged 44, at the Hasan Sadikin Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia, from a series of health problems relating to his condition.