SCIENCESurprise man is oldest-living person with rare disease, and he's fighting to find a cureArizona RepublicJerry DeVries is the oldest man known living with Proteus syndrome, a rare and crippling overgrowth disease. He is volunteering in a clinical trial for the first drug to treat the syndrome.Amanda Morris/The RepublicKim Green with her son Alex, who suffered from Proteus syndrome, a rare disease that causes crippling overgrowths throughout the body.Courtesy Of Kim GreenKim Green's son Alex died at the age of 9 from complications relating to Proteus syndrome, a rare and crippling disease.Courtesy Of Kim GreenProteus syndrome causes crippling overgrowths that can prevent patients from being able to walk.Courtesy Of Kim GreenProteus syndrome patients in ArQule's initial study of a drug to treat the disease experienced some reduction in the overgrowths on their hands.Courtesy Of ArQuleProteus syndrome patients in ArQule's initial study of a drug to treat the disease experienced some reduction in the overgrowths on their hands.Courtesy Of ArQuleJerry DeVries, the oldest man alive with Proteus syndrome, gets his blood drawn. Researcher are studying him in the hopes of developing a cure for the disease.Courtesy Of The National Institutes Of HealthMany patients with Proteus syndrome experience overgrowth lesions on their feet that make it difficult to wear shoes.Courtesy Of Proteus Syndrome FoundationMany patients with Proteus syndrome experience overgrowth lesions on their feet that make it difficult to wear shoes.Courtesy Of Proteus Syndrome FoundationProteus syndrome patients in ArQule's initial study of a drug to treat the disease experienced a softening of overgrowth lesions on their feet, and in some cases, a reduction in the overgrowths.Courtesy Of ArQule