Elena

was honestly happier with the sideshow than he had been just in Pittsburgh going to school. Well, that's good. Not only was his family able to just be together all the time, but he also loved performing. And he liked being in the spotlight. Like, it... He was okay with it. Seemed to feed him. Like, he really liked it.

was honestly happier with the sideshow than he had been just in Pittsburgh going to school. Well, that's good. Not only was his family able to just be together all the time, but he also loved performing. And he liked being in the spotlight. Like, it... He was okay with it. Seemed to feed him. Like, he really liked it.

And when they weren't on the road, they retired to Gibsonton, and there he was treated as just any other child in town. So he wasn't dealing with that bullshit, you know? And he was able to live a relatively normal childhood among other children of circus workers. Yes. Like, their normal. I was going to say, a different kind of normal. What they saw is that.

And when they weren't on the road, they retired to Gibsonton, and there he was treated as just any other child in town. So he wasn't dealing with that bullshit, you know? And he was able to live a relatively normal childhood among other children of circus workers. Yes. Like, their normal. I was going to say, a different kind of normal. What they saw is that.

Despite the acceptance he found in Gibsonton and his ability to, you know, help the family by working at the sideshow circuit, Grady Stiles' life was definitely one of hardship. It's not like he was just coasting through. He had a lot to deal with. And it wasn't long before this kind of hardship that was just kind of hardwired inside of him was leading to a lot of bitterness.

Despite the acceptance he found in Gibsonton and his ability to, you know, help the family by working at the sideshow circuit, Grady Stiles' life was definitely one of hardship. It's not like he was just coasting through. He had a lot to deal with. And it wasn't long before this kind of hardship that was just kind of hardwired inside of him was leading to a lot of bitterness.

Because again, it's not like he was treated nicely by everyone he came in contact with. You know what I mean?

Because again, it's not like he was treated nicely by everyone he came in contact with. You know what I mean?

Yeah, and I'm sure the people that came to the circus sometimes would probably dehumanize him. I'm sure that's going to live in your nervous system at some point. Yeah, definitely. So he was often frustrated, often bitter. But he was very determined to prove himself to be as capable as anybody else.

Yeah, and I'm sure the people that came to the circus sometimes would probably dehumanize him. I'm sure that's going to live in your nervous system at some point. Yeah, definitely. So he was often frustrated, often bitter. But he was very determined to prove himself to be as capable as anybody else.

So one thing he could do, which he very much fixated on, was building up his strength in his early teens, and he developed incredible, upper body strength. Really? Yeah. And that he used this kind of to compensate for his lack of, you know, dexterity, lack of being able to really move around like he felt everybody else could.

So one thing he could do, which he very much fixated on, was building up his strength in his early teens, and he developed incredible, upper body strength. Really? Yeah. And that he used this kind of to compensate for his lack of, you know, dexterity, lack of being able to really move around like he felt everybody else could.

At the same time, he adapted to his condition really well and had learned to use his hands in like a claw-like fashion. So he could hold objects, he could write, he could do other like very complex tasks with his hands. Okay. Which... When you look at it, you're like, wow. That's amazing. At this point, you're like, good for you, man. You really took lemons and you made lemonade out of them.

At the same time, he adapted to his condition really well and had learned to use his hands in like a claw-like fashion. So he could hold objects, he could write, he could do other like very complex tasks with his hands. Okay. Which... When you look at it, you're like, wow. That's amazing. At this point, you're like, good for you, man. You really took lemons and you made lemonade out of them.

Good for you. Now, by the early 1950s, Grady Sr., his father, had decided it was going to be much more lucrative for the family to go into business for themselves. And they struck out on their own. Now, around this time, 17-year-old Grady Jr. married his first wife, Deborah Brady. That was in a small ceremony in Tampa, Florida.

Good for you. Now, by the early 1950s, Grady Sr., his father, had decided it was going to be much more lucrative for the family to go into business for themselves. And they struck out on their own. Now, around this time, 17-year-old Grady Jr. married his first wife, Deborah Brady. That was in a small ceremony in Tampa, Florida.

Now, unfortunately, that was only going to last about a year before they divorced. And Grady ended up just really focusing on the business for a little while. He's a horrible husband, just to put that out there. It lasted a year. I'm not surprised by that. I don't know. Based on what we find out later. Marriage to him was not a fun time. Ugh.

Now, unfortunately, that was only going to last about a year before they divorced. And Grady ended up just really focusing on the business for a little while. He's a horrible husband, just to put that out there. It lasted a year. I'm not surprised by that. I don't know. Based on what we find out later. Marriage to him was not a fun time. Ugh.

Now, Grady didn't have to wait long to find love again, though. In the spring of 1959, during a stop in Trenton, New Jersey, Grady met Mary Teresa Herzog, who went by Teresa. Okay. One of the carnival's newest ticket booth workers, and instantly, they were in love. Now, by the time she'd met Grady Stiles, 21-year-old Teresa's experiences with men had been universally bad.

Now, Grady didn't have to wait long to find love again, though. In the spring of 1959, during a stop in Trenton, New Jersey, Grady met Mary Teresa Herzog, who went by Teresa. Okay. One of the carnival's newest ticket booth workers, and instantly, they were in love. Now, by the time she'd met Grady Stiles, 21-year-old Teresa's experiences with men had been universally bad.