Andrew Wardle never had a penis, but in his new TLC documentary, he’s going to get one built from his arm.
Andrew was born with a condition called bladder exstrophy, meaning his bladder formed on the outside of his body. As a result, he never developed a penis.
In an interview with PEOPLE, the 40-year-old UK resident explains how he fell into a deep depression as a teenager. He started taking drugs and partying to escape his reality and embarrassment. “I thought I was going to end up dying from all the drugs,” Andrew admitted. “I just didn’t even care.”
It wasn’t until he was 33 years old that he heard about a surgery that could give him a fully working penis, and he’s fine with his secret now being public knowledge. “I’m at the age where I really don’t care,” he says. “Since I hit 40, I don’t care what people think or do.”
“They told me they could build a penis out of my arm,” Andrew says about the four operations he’ll soon undergo.
Doctors will get the necessary muscle and skin grafted from his right forearm to create a fully working penis. With this huge emotional weight on his shoulders, he’s lucky enough to have his girlfriend, Fedra, by his side. She was unaware of his secret when they initially started dating, but she has accepted him wholeheartedly. “She’s a really nice girl,” he says. “She’s on board 100 percent.”
Wardle’s documentary, The Man With No Penis, airs Monday, Oct. 5 on TLC.
SOURCE: PEOPLE | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty | VIDEO SOURCE: TLC/Brightcove
