Vietnam's 'Real-life Tarzan' Ho Van Lang dies of cancer at 52

After living 40 years in the Vietnamese forest, a man nicknamed a 'real-life Tarzan' died of liver cancer at the age of 52 on September 7. In 1972, Ho Van Lang and his father Ho Van Thanh retreated into the Tra Bong district's forest, fleeing airstrikes by US troops during the Vietnam War, which killed half of their family.

Ho Van Thanh, in 2013, re-established touch with Vietnamese culture and believed the Vietnam War was still going on when the father-son duo entered a village to seek medical help for Lang's father. After this, Lang began living a more contemporary lifestyle, according to Daily Mail.

Lang couldn't speak regional Cor language

Lang could barely speak a few words of the regional Cor language, whereas his father had retained some of his language skills. Lang's brief visit to the Tra Bong jungle, where he grew up, garnered news in 2016. Alvaro Cerezo, a businessman and explorer, stayed with Lang for five days in the hopes of learning from him, according to the New York Post. Cerezo documented many of Lang's ups and downs during his re-acclimatisation to society, and the two stayed in touch after that and became good friends.

Cerezo believes that living a modern life had grave effects on him as he began eating processed foods and occasionally drinking alcohol, reported Daily Mail. Cerezo expressed that he is extremely sad to see him go, but his passing is also a freedom for him because he knows the Lang was suffering in the previous months. He further added that Lang was a beautiful human being, and it will be impossible for me to forget him and he is going to miss his friend every day, according to Daily Mail. In 2017, Cerezo published a book on Ho Van Lang.

Lang had skills equivalent to superhuman

According to the New York Post, Cerezo said that the connection between them was instant since Lang had no idea someone would be interested in his survival skills, and he was so happy to show them all to him. He further said that Lang became so enthralled that he decided to take deep into the bush and show him where he had spent his entire life. As per reports from New York Post, he also said that Lang had the skills of a superhuman.

(Image: Twitter/@chapoisat)