‘World’s dirtiest man’ dies at 94
Amou Haji refused to wash for 60 years because he believed soap and water would make him sick.
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Amou Haji, seen here smoking excrement
An Iranian who was unofficially dubbed the "world's dirtiest man" after not showering for 60 years died at the age of 94, according to local state media.
Amou Haji, not his real name, but a loveable nickname given to elderly people, died on Sunday in the village of Dejgah, as per reports.
Haji, who was known for his grimy skin and matted hair, refused to wash because he believed soap and water would make him sick. He spent the majority of his life alone in an open brick hut built by villagers after he began sleeping in a hole in the ground.
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Amou Haji's hut
Haji's eccentricities were attributed by locals to "emotional setbacks" in his youth. As part of his diet, Haji also avoided fresh food in favor of rotted porcupines and smoked a pipe wherein he would place animal excrement.
Haji's story was the subject of the 2013 short documentary "The Strange Life of Amou Haji," according to the Daily Mail.
It is worth noting that villagers had reportedly taken him to a bathroom to wash a few months before he died.
Following Haji's death, the title of "world's dirtiest man" is now up for grabs. According to The Guardian, Kailash "Kalau" Singh, an Indian who had not showered in more than 30 years as of 2009, could be a frontrunner for the strange award.
