This Man Didn’t Bathe for 67 Years — and Lived to 94

With billions of people around the world, it’s no surprise that some live in ways we can hardly imagine. This is one of those stories — a man whose lifestyle was so unconventional, it left many stunned.

Meet Amou Haji, a man from Iran who made headlines for a unique (and shocking) reason: he chose not to bathe for over six decades.

While bathing regularly is a common habit across cultures — even if people debate how often it should happen — Amou Haji firmly rejected the idea. For 67 years, he never took a single shower. And according to him, there were deep personal reasons behind that choice.

Born around 1928 in the village of Dez Gah, Iran, Haji lived as a hermit on the edge of town. Locals referred to him affectionately as “Amou Haji,” which means “old man” in Persian. His real name was never publicly known.

Rumor has it that Haji’s extreme lifestyle began after a painful heartbreak. He withdrew from society and settled in a small cinderblock hut outside the village. While his hygiene habits (or lack thereof) shocked many, locals accepted him as part of the community.

Instead of bathing, he burned his hair and beard when they got too long. Over time, his skin and hair turned a uniform gray, covered in layers of dirt. But what truly shocked people wasn’t just his appearance — it was his diet.

He reportedly lived on roadkill, claiming porcupine was his favorite. He ate the meat raw, no matter how old or decayed it was. He refused fresh food offered by others and preferred scavenging for himself. He also drank around five liters of water a day from a rusty tin can.

Haji smoked animal dung from a pipe and was often seen with several cigarettes in his mouth at once.

Despite his lifestyle, Haji remained remarkably healthy for most of his life. He passed away at age 94, just a few months after villagers convinced him — for the first time in decades — to take a bath.

Before his death, researchers from Tehran University, including Dr. Gholamreza Molavi, conducted health tests on him. The results were surprising: apart from a mild case of trichinosis (a parasite from eating raw meat), Haji had no major health issues.

His story, while unusual, sparked conversations worldwide about resilience, isolation, and how health can sometimes defy logic. Love it or be baffled by it — Amou Haji lived life entirely on his own terms.