The world is full of bullies — and usually, we think of bullies as children who taunt and tease in school, but that's unfortunately not always the case.
Sadly, there are grown-ups out there who terrorize others in much more haunting and horrible manners. There have been stories in which those who looked a little different were put down with harsh words. The most insensitive people can make anyone feel small, discouraged, unattractive, and unloved.
One little girl has been suffering with a horrible medical condition all her life. Her disposition leaves her bones weak, and her body fragile. One day, she and her mother were walking out of the store after a shopping trip, and found the nastiest message left on their car, which was parked in a handicap parking spot.
The stranger had a rather cruel message for the both of them. They spoke to 9NEWS about the incident.
Scroll further to take a look at the letter, and let us know in the comments below what you thought of it.
After a shopping trip at Target, Naomi Barringer and her 10-year-old daughter, Kaitlyn, returned to their van. To their horror, a typed and printed note had been left on their windshield.
The note, pictured below, berates both mother and daughter for taking up a handicapped parking spot.
“GREETINGS! I observed you parking in this Handicapped parking place today. It appears that you are not really handicapped — perhaps just in a hurry, or worse, just plain lazy.
In case you don’t know, these spots are reserved for people who are truly handicapped, and because of idiots like you, they have to park farther away or not be able to come here at all.
Before you throw this away, know that I have called in your license plate number to the local police. Have a great day!”
What the bitter stranger did not realize, however, is that Kaitlyn suffers from hypophosphatasia, a rare — and sometimes fatal — genetic condition.
The metabolic bone disease causes the bones to be extremely fragile. Small accidents could lead to severe fractures.
The note hit at Kaitlyn’s core. “I really didn’t know people thought of me like that,” she said. “I am disabled and they may not know that, and I can understand that because I do look normal.”
And even though Kaitlyn puts on a brave face — she has had more than 17 broken bones and a dozen fractures — the incident pained her. “I was offended, I was hurt actually,” she said.
Kaitlyn’s GoFundMe page lists her other medical conditions: muscle weakness, kidney problems, skin sensitivity, seizures, and breathing difficulties.
In addition, the youngster has also been diagnosed with a neurological condition that causes the deterioration of white matter in her brain.
Just months ago, Kaitlyn had to have plates and screws placed in her femur. As a result, she was wheelchair-bound for over a month.
The note has left a solemn impression on both mother and child. “Just because someone doesn’t look disabled, doesn’t mean that they are not,” said Kaitlyn’s mother.
Kaitlyn's story just further reminds us that, while there forever will be vicious bullies in the world, we have to stand tall. In the end, we will come out stronger because of it.
Please SHARE if you thought the stranger's note was downright unethical, and if you think people should look beyond the surface before judging!
