Curiosity
Papa Smurf, AKA Paul Karason Dies Of Heart Attack
Papa Smurf, AKA Paul Karason Dies Of Heart Attack
Paul Karason, the Washington resident who first gained international fame when the color of his skin turned permanently blue, has succumbed to a heart attack at the age of 62. About 15 years ago following the use of dietary supplements containing silver to treat a skin condition, Karason’s skin turned blue.
His altered appearance caused many people to call him “Papa Smurf” because of the contrast between his blue skin and his white hair and beard.
His widow Jo Anna said he felt embarrassed when an adult called him by that nickname, although he didn’t mind if a child recognized his special condition.
‘That was a nickname he didn’t appreciate, depending on who said it,’ she told Today. ‘If it was a kid who ran up to him saying “Papa Smurf,” it would put a smile on his face. But if it was an adult, well ….’
After contracting silver poisoning, a medical condition known as argyria, Karason had to take a leave of absence from work and refused to go out in public because of the stares and questions he had to endure.
Karason didn’t even know his skin had changed color until a friend came to visit.
“And he looks at me and he says, ‘What have you got on your face?’ ‘I don’t have anything on my face!'” Karason said. “He says, ‘Well, it looks like you’ve got camouflage makeup on or something.’ And by golly, he came in and he was very fair-skinned, as I used to be. And that’s when it hit me.”
According to Good Morning America, in those first months, he didn’t notice a change in his skin color. But there were changes in his health.
“The acid reflux problem I’d been having just went away completely,” he said. “I had arthritis in my shoulders so bad I couldn’t pull a T-shirt off. And the next thing I knew, it was just gone.”
Finally, in 2008, he went public about his condition and made a guest appearance on NBC’s “Today” show in order to explain his medical condition and why his skin had permanently changed color. Karason was taken to a local hospital after suffering an apparent heart attack, but his physical condition worsened when he also contracted pneumonia and then suffered a debilitating stroke.
Original Story Below:
Paul Karason, 58, is definitely a man that stand out in a crowd. Some retro cartoon fans may think that he is just a crazed fan of Papa Smurf. Mr. Karason sports a very nice graying and white head of hair and matching beard. If you still do not think you could recognize him in a crowd, look for his glasses. Still does not stand out, well, he is blue.
From head to toe, Mr. Karason is blue. This is no make up or lighting trick. He had dermatitis, an itchy and discoloring condition of the skin. He had a treatment plan. Colloidal silver, which was banned by the FDA in 1999, is suspension of silver in distilled water. Silver has antibacterial properties and has been used for centuries to fight infections.
Experts say that his skin will be blue for life, because the silver does not dissipate from the skin or organs. It reacts to light the same way silver would react to light in a photolab. It changes color to, you guessed it, blue. Mr. Karason states that his skin is lightening a bit because he has reduced his intake of the medication, and is positive that soon he will be “Going Green.” Al Gore would be so proud
On The Web:
Blue man dies of heart attack at 62
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/Blog/2013/09/25/Blue-man-dies-of-heart-attack-at-62/3441380132297
Internet Sensation ‘Papa Smurf’ Dies; Other Blue People Live On
http://gma.yahoo.com/internet-sensation-papa-smurf-dies-other-blue-people-153011987–abc-news-health.html?.tsrc=yahoo/