A rare genetic condition led to the unusual-looking skin tone.
methemoglobinemia, which affects how the blood carries and releases oxygen. In the Fugates, it didn’t harm their physical health , but it did cause their skin to turn blue as the result of their blood cells carrying less oxygen .
The trait was carried on a recessive gene, meaning in order to pass it on, both parents had to be carrying the gene. It persisted for generations because the region the family lived in was isolated. But in the modern era, with the building of roads, that is no longer the case, and the gene pool has been dispersed. The last known “blue” Fugate descendant was born in 1975., dubbed by some as “Papa Smurf,” but he is unrelated to the Fugates.
Donaldson James, Susan. “Fugates of Kentucky: Skin Bluer than Lake Louise.” 21 Feb. 2012, https://abcnews.go.com/Health/blue-skinned-people-kentucky-reveal-todays-genetic-lesson/story?id=15759819.
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