The True Story Of Roy Lee 'Rocky' Dennis Whose 'Rock-Hard' Head Doubled In Size For 16 Years Before Tragic End

When doctors first met with his mother, they laid out a grim forecast due to facial dysplasia, a daunting condition that was bound to cause his head to swell to double its normal size.

Roy L. Dennis was no ordinary child; he was grappling with a profoundly rare disorder that sped up the growth of facial bones at an alarming rate.

Contrary to medical professionals' early predictions that he might not celebrate his seventh birthday, Rocky embraced life beyond expectations.

His mother, known affectionately as Florence 'Rusty' Dennis, was confronted with a stark prognosis.

So incredible was Rocky's life that he inspired the 1985 film Mask Credit: Universal Pictures

The doctors detailed the severe complications and hurdles Rocky would face because of his facial dysplasia.

This condition was not only going to enlarge his head considerably but also make it harder.

Rocky was born a healthy baby boy on December 4, 1961, in California, becoming a beloved addition to a family that already included an older brother from Rusty's first marriage.

Initially, life seemed pretty run-of-the-mill for the Dennis family.

But that semblance of normality was fleeting.

An X-ray technician was the first to notice abnormalities with Rocky's skull, which led to an unexpected and troubling acceleration in the size of his head.

He was diagnosed at UCLA Medical Center with craniodiaphyseal dysplasia, also known to many as lionitis.

This exceptionally rare condition drastically changed his facial structure and caused his skull size to increase dramatically.

Rocky's extremely rare disease saw the bones in his face grow at an unusually fast rate Credit: findagrave.com

The progression of his disease pushed his eyes to the periphery of his face, and his nose started to develop in a peculiar way, as highlighted by All That's Interesting.

Rusty was given the grim forecast that Rocky's condition would lead to the loss of his hearing and sight.

She was also warned about potential severe cognitive impairments due to the pressure exerted by his enlarging skull on his brain.

Despite such harrowing predictions, Rusty was steadfast in her resolve to afford Rocky a life as normal as possible.

She got him into school by age six and raised him with the same expectations and love as any other child, which allowed Rocky to excel in his studies and cultivate meaningful friendships.

Renowned for his incredible wit, Rocky consistently refused any plastic surgery that would have made him look more typical, standing firm in his belief in his unique identity.

Rusty championed Rocky's self-esteem, sharing, "Everybody liked him because he was real funny."

Rocky suffered from an extremely rare condition called craniodiaphyseal dysplasia Credit: Wikipedia

"Once he came in from the playground crying because 'the kids are calling me ugly'... I told him when they laugh at you, you laugh at you."

"If you act beautiful, you'll be beautiful and they'll see that and love you... I believe the universe will support anything you want to believe."

"I taught both my kids that. They tried to say his intelligence was impaired, but it wasn't true."

"I think they wanted to keep him out of the classroom because [they thought] it would bother the other kids' parents."

She leaned towards natural healing methods and instilled in Rocky a philosophy of self-healing through belief, always motivating him to "make yourself feel better" in moments of discomfort.

Despite Rocky celebrating many more birthdays than anyone had dared to hope, signs began to show that his condition was deteriorating.

He suffered from intensifying headaches and a gradual decline in physical strength.

Rocky's life story was told in 1985 film Mask, with Cher playing his mum Credit: Universal Pictures

Rusty noticed a change in his usually positive outlook, which preceded his untimely demise at the age of 16 on October 4, 1978.

Rocky's life was an inspiration, defying every expectation by living nine years longer than predicted, and later became the basis for the 1985 film "Mask."

Eric Stoltz portrayed Rocky in the film, with Cher capturing the essence of his resilient mother, Rusty, in a moving performance.

As Rocky celebrated more birthdays than doctors ever anticipated, it became clear that his health was in decline, with intensifying headaches and weakening physical strength. A noticeable shift in his usually upbeat demeanor was evident to Rusty, leading up to Rocky's untimely passing at the age of 16 on October 4, 1978.

Rocky's life, extending nine years beyond medical expectations, was nothing short of miraculous, inspiring the 1985 film "Mask." In the movie, Eric Stoltz portrays Rocky, with Cher taking on the role of his resilient mother, Rusty.