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Green Man of Pennsylvania

A faceless man walked the roads of Pennsylvania at night. Parents warned children about the Green Man. He was real—Ray Robinson, horribly disfigured by electrical burns as a child. He walked at night to avoid stares. Legend made him a monster.

1919 - 1985
Beaver County, Pennsylvania, USA
500+ witnesses

The Green Man was real, and his story is heartbreaking.

The Legend

What people said:

  • Faceless man
  • Glowed green
  • Walked at night
  • Haunted roads
  • Monster or ghost

The Truth

Ray Robinson:

  • Born 1910
  • Disfigured at age 8
  • Electrical accident
  • Lost eyes, nose, arm
  • Survived against odds

The Accident

1919:

  • Climbing power line
  • 22,000 volts
  • Severe burns
  • Not expected to live
  • Face destroyed

His Life

How he coped:

  • Walked at night
  • Avoided ridicule
  • Made leather goods
  • Family cared for him
  • Lived to age 74

The Encounters

What really happened:

  • People sought him out
  • Offered cigarettes, beer
  • Sometimes respectful
  • Sometimes cruel
  • He was patient

The Legend’s Harm

What it did:

  • Made him a monster
  • Erased his humanity
  • Still told wrong
  • Cruel pranks played
  • Truth deserves telling

Sources