Given the fact that the members of the family intermarried with each other, they have not managed to eliminate the "blue gene". This strange phenomenon dates back to the early 19th century, when Martin Fugate a French orphan, married red-haired American girl - Elizabeth Smith and with her settled in eastern part of Kentucky. As Elizabeth had a very bright tan, crossing their genes resulted in a mutation that made their descendants have blue skin.

Disorder, scientifically called "methemoglobinemia" reduces the ability of individuals to retain oxygen in their blood. Therefore, the blood is much darker than it should be, and the Fugates cannot redden but tey get blue. "Blue” family has for decades lived in total isolation during which they intermarried with each other, so that the "blue gene" has remained in their family. The public first found out about them only in 1958, when a "blue man" brought his wife to the hospital and doctors have paid more attention to his strange blue skin but sick woman.

Besides the unusual skin color the descendants of these families have no serious health problems.

Thanks to the invention of scientists from the early eighties, they now might be like other "normal" people, but only briefly - Scientists have created a blue chemical that turns blue blood into red that gives the person a normal skin color. However, as the effect lasts only one day, the user would have to enter the same liquid on a daily basis.

During the 19th century, in the family Fugate came new men and women and due to it, the blue gene has decreased significantly. This means that the number of "blue people" is still present today, but in very small quantities.

Blue People Genealogy