Every person faces their own struggles when it comes to their looks and/or self-esteem.
It might be that you want to lose weight, or maybe you want to fix your teeth? There’s always something that you’d probably like to improve.
Well, every time I feel like I need motivation, I’ll always think about Lizzie Velásquez from Austin, Texas.
Lizzie was born with an extremely rare genetic disorder that prevents her from gaining weight, which in turn affects her appearance.
Being tormented can break any person’s heart and mind, but Lizzie was confident that these people wouldn’t be the ones prevailing. Today, she’s turned her life around and she’s now a global motivational speaker.
Now, I want you, the person reading this, to take a moment to think back on your life at the age of 16. For me, there are plenty of memories from that time – both good and bad – but overall, it was a time when many things were changing. There were more hormones, emotions, and sometimes even mental challenges that you had to fight against.
Hate on the web
All in all, hopefully it was a good time in your life, as it was for me.
Now, pretend that at 16 years of age you were called “The Ugliest Woman/Man in the World”. Not only that, but there’s even a video of you with the text “The Ugliest Woman/Man in the World” attached to it. That video has hundreds of thousands of views, and in the comments, people are saying the worst possible things about you.
How would that make you feel?
For Lizzie Velásquez, this was the tragic reality. She was teased throughout her school years – both in person and on the internet – and it could’ve so easily broken her.
But Lizzie had other plans. She decided to put all these negative vibes together and instead turn them into something positive. That’s why we love her dearly, and want to spread her inspirational story.
I will share this with my friends, and I’d love for you to do the same.
Lizzie Velásquez
Lizzie Velásquez was born March 13, 1989, in Austin, Texas.
At her birth, she weighed only 2 pounds and 11 ounces, and it was clear from the moment she was born that she looked different from the other babies at the hospital.
Being that small, Lizzie didn’t understand that she was different, since she’d always been just Lizzie. However, when she started kindergarden at age five, she realized straight away that something was off.
“To my family, I was just Lizzie. It was a big slap of reality for a 5-year-old. The other kids were scared of me, pointing at me, not wanting to sit with me,” she told Today. “I couldn’t process it. I wasn’t doing anything to them, so why was it happening to me? And I didn’t dare tell anyone.
“Finally, I told my parents and they said, ‘There is nothing wrong with you, you are just smaller than the other kids. You are beautiful and smart and can accomplish anything.’”
Those words from her family still stick with her today, and it really is the truth. No matter how you look, you still have the ability to accomplish anything you want. For Lizzie, though, this would require strong mental toughness to get there. That, and the support from her parents.
Lizzie Velásquez – rare conditions
But we’ll get back to Lizzie and how she managed to come out strong and incredibly inspirational on the other side.
So what was it that made her look the way she does?
Well, Lizzie was born with two rare conditions, marfan syndrome and lipodystrophy. The rare genetic conditions affect her heart, eyes and bones, and prevent her from gaining weight because of a problem with the way fat is distributed in her body. It’s so rare, in fact, that there are only three known cases in the world. Still to this day, it baffles experts.
Not only that, but the condition causes Lizzie to age faster than people without the disorder, and she’s also blind in one eye.
As early as kindergarden, Lizzie recieved comments from other kids. And these remarks continued throughout her childhood, with people labeling her face as “disgusting”.
“At the time, I thought everyone looked like me. I didn’t recognize or tell that they didn’t look like me,” she told the Daily Mail.
When Lizzie started high school, things got better. She realized that she had power over her own life, and her decision was made clear.
Horrible video on YouTube
She was always going to stay positive, be brave, and do all the activities that she wanted to do alongside her friends.
“It was scary, but I knew it would pay off,” Lizzie Velásquez explained. “I was staff writer for the school newspaper and took photos for the yearbook. I tried out for cheerleading. The uniforms were really cute and every time I wore it around the school, I felt like a superhero. I was more myself around my peers, the version of myself around my family.”
Things started to get better, and Lizzie’s confidence was great. Then, one day, her world collapsed.
While doing homework, she was scrolling on her computer and went onto YouTube. Suddenly, she saw a video about herself that would break her heart.
Someone had made a video about Lizzie, dubbing her “the world’s ugliest woman”. Worse, the video had millions of views, and some of the comments were truly terrible.
She couldn’t stop herself from reading the comments, with some people even saying that the world would be a better place if Lizzie took her own life. She read on, hoping that someone would come to her aid. Sadly, not a single comment did.
“Wanted to prove them wrong”
Lizzie felt like someone “was putting a fist through the computer screen and physically punching me.” She could barely believe what she was seeing.
It’s crazy to think about how thousands of people can sit behind their computers and torment a 16-year-old girl suffering from a severe illness. How do those people sleep at night?
This was the worst kind of hate, and it could’ve destroyed Lizzie. But once again, she picked herself up. In fact, she said that if she could, she’d send a thank you card and flowers to the person who created the video, because that video changed her life forever.
“I didn’t want to retaliate — it was a waste of time,” she said. “I just wanted to prove them wrong, I realized I could use it for the greater good.”
Lizzie was never going to let the haters win. She’d seen the worst possible things written and said about her, but still, she was determined to use it as fuel for the future Lizzie.
She continued on to college, and at 23 she earned a Bachelors Degree in communication from Texas State University.
Inspirational TedTalk
In 2003, she was then invited to a TED Talk in Austin, and it went viral. Lizzie explained how hurtful the mocking had been, but at the same time, she wanted to give people another perspective, as she did for herself.
“For so long, I thought that what defined me was my outer appearance,” she said in the 2013 TED Talk, explaining that she used to fantasize about “scrubbing the syndrome” off her face.
“Something kind of clicked in my head,” she explained of the moment she saw that awful YouTube video. “Am I going to let the people who called me a monster define me? No, I’m going to let my goals and my success and my accomplishments be the things that define me.”
For most people, all this hatred would have been tough to endure. But Lizzie isn’t most people; she showed everyone how strong she really is. Over the course of her entire life, she has been forced to eat a high-calorie diet frequently to keep her body’s energy levels up.
Today, she’s 35 years old and a successful business woman who travels the world to lecture others on her illness, as well as her life story.
Lizzie Velásquez – today
“This is my purpose. This is what I’m meant to do for the rest of my life. I like to think that I’m not only telling my story, I’m telling everyone’s story,” Lizzie told the Daily Mail.
As of now, she has over 850,000 followers on her YouTube channel and uses it to give inspirational talks. Lizzie’s showed the haters that she’s stronger than them – and she’s much more successful today than they will ever be.
“You are beautiful and smart and can accomplish anything,” Lizzie said her mother and father used to tell her.
“They loved me in the face of so many unknowns.”
Even though Lizzie is a strong, inspirational and, well, incredible person, this year’s been tough for many reasons.
The Covid-19 pandemic hasn’t helped, but she’s also getting picked on social media, especially on the app TikTok. Lizzie was the subject of an image that people were looking at and reacting to.
And the worst part was that it was a mother that had used her photo to prank a child into thinking that Lizzie was the teacher for the next school year.
The importance of respecting
In July, it became a horrible trend among parents, where they did a FaceTime call saying that Lizzie would be the child’s next teacher.
Lizzie was hurt, obviously, and rightly so. What kind of parent would do this to another person? What message does it send to their children? That this kind of hate is OK? Lizzie herself said it encourages children to react in an unfavorable way regarding the way people look.
“When kids are in school or whether they are out in public, it’s crucial to teach them the importance of respecting someone who doesn’t look like them,” Lizzie said, in a video posted on her social media accounts.
“Showing them a video might be a joke, but it can be something that shows a child if my mom or dad thinks it’s funny then it must be okay for me to laugh at as well,” she says. “I take great responsibility in the fact that now is the time time to do all I can to speak up for those who might not have a voice or for those who don’t know how to use theirs.”
“I knew in my gut my photo was going to be used,” she added. “After dealing with things like this for a while now, I can sense when this might happen.”
A true inspiration
Following Lizzie condemning the videos, many children instead started posting videos where they said how beautiful Lizzie was. Once again, the haters had lost.
Lizzie has been praised all over the world for her courage throughout her life. She’s written a best-selling book about her life and even been praised by former First Lady Michelle Obama.
Beauty comes from within your heart and soul. Lizzie, you are beautiful! We think her story is deeply inspirational, and we think that everyone should read about her to understand that anything is possible.
Please, share this story with friends and family if you think Lizzie is an incredible person!
Poor Man Houses Family in His Old Trailer during Storm, Finds Dozen of Boxes near Home Next Day – Story of the Day
Adam and his family sit down for dinner with the radio on—only to be interrupted by a severe weather warning. As the night progresses, the storm worsens, forcing the family to take refuge in the dilapidated trailer in their yard.
Adam took out bowls from the cabinet to set the table for dinner. In their modest kitchen, Maggie, his wife, was perfecting a fish stew on their two-plate stove.
“Parsley with fish stew, yes or no?” she asked.
“Yes, my mom used either parsley or coriander,” Adam replied.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
Maggie reached for the parsley in the yellow pot on the windowsill. She loved growing her herbs and vegetables. She called it her weekend hobby. But Adam knew the real reason was that they would always have some fresh vegetables she could cook for their meals. That way, their family would always have food.
He set the table and took out some bread, listening to the laughter from the kids’ room.
Adam smiled, then winced, remembering his twisted ankle from work. He worried about his boots that had landed in a puddle of water at the construction site; he needed them dry for work, or he’d be in the office room, doing paperwork, and face reduced hours and pay. He also needed to buy Maggie’s epilepsy medication.
“Dinner is ready. Can you get the kids?” Maggie asked, distracting him from his thoughts.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
“Of course. Maybe we can listen to some music during dinner?”
Maggie smiled and turned on the radio.
In the kids’ room, Emma, 8, was lying on her bed, and Charlie, 5, was coloring a dinosaur drawing.
“Did Emma draw that?” Adam asked Charlie.
“I did, Dad,” Emma said, sitting upright. “I finished my homework early and drew it for Charlie so he can color it.”
Adam praised her effort and called them to dinner, reminding them to wash their hands first.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
In the kitchen, Maggie had served the stew and bread. She lit two candles, making the simple setup a little special for their children. Adam watched her steady herself against a chair.
“Are you okay, Mommy?” Emma asked as she sat down.
“I am,” Maggie replied. “It’s just been a very long day, and I’m ready for bed.” She went back into the kitchen to get a pitcher of water.
“But you have to eat first, Mommy!” Charlie said, breaking off a piece of bread.
“And that’s exactly what Mom is going to do,” Adam said firmly. The last time she skipped a meal, her blood pressure had dropped so low that Adam had to take her to the clinic.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“Are you okay?” he asked Maggie.
“I just feel this intense pressure in my head,” she said. “The last time this happened, there was that huge storm. So, we’re probably going to get a storm tonight. That’s all.”
Adam believed her–after Maggie was diagnosed with epilepsy, she had read most of the books in the town’s library related to it. And since then, she has become really good at managing it. If Adam had to think about it, she had very few seizures since she started her epilepsy research.
“But you’re feeling fine, otherwise?”
“Yes. I’ll just have to be careful if there’s any lightning, that’s all,” she said, returning to the table.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
“So, tell us about school,” Maggie asked the kids as she sat down.
“I have an upcoming science project. We can make a tornado or a volcano,” Emma said.
“Dad, how do we make a tornado?” she asked Adam.
“We could try to make a structure out of steel wool,” he suggested. He always enjoyed doing projects with the kids.
As they ate, rain began, and the radio’s music was interrupted by a severe weather warning.
“A tornado warning is in effect…take cover immediately. Stay indoors. Do not go outside. Keep windows closed shut. This is a dangerous and unpredictable situation, folks.”
Maggie and Adam exchanged worried glances, concerned about their weak roof.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
“Dad, what’s happening?” Emma asked.
“There’s a storm warning, but we’re prepared,” Maggie told Emma.
They finished dinner in silence.
***
Adam looked outside the kitchen window at the intensifying rain. “At least my head predicted this one,” Maggie quipped, washing dishes.
Adam was concerned about the roof and his ankle pain.
“We’ll be fine, Adam,” Maggie said, noticing his worried expression. “We just need to keep the children calm.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
Adam glanced outside again, noting the worsening weather conditions. He needed to hold a family meeting immediately.
***
“Okay, family meeting,” Adam said, sitting beside his children. “We’re going to sleep in our clothes tonight, not pajamas.”
“Why?” Charlie asked.
“You heard the weatherman,” Adam replied. “We need to be ready for anything.”
“Exactly,” Maggie added.
A few hours later, Maggie and Adam had gotten the children into their most comfortable but warm clothes and were asleep in their bedroom. Maggie wanted the whole family to sleep in one room.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Adam awoke in the middle of the night and walked around the house. The power had gone out a while ago, so he used his old, reliable flashlight. He was grateful for the fact that Maggie was asleep with the children as well. He wasn’t sure how they would handle Maggie having a seizure at this moment when the thunder and lightning had started.
As Adam stepped into the children’s bedroom, he could hear dripping. He raised his flashlight at the ceiling and noticed a growing leak. “Damn it,” he muttered, placing a bucket under the leak. But the situation was bad. The roof could collapse at any moment.
Waking Maggie, he showed her the worsening situation. “We have to get out, right?” Maggie asked, alarmed.
“I’ll clear out the trailer,” Adam decided as Maggie gathered food and water.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Adam braved the storm to reach the trailer, struggling against the wind and rain. Once inside, he began preparing it as a temporary shelter.
Adam had received the run-down trailer from a friend. He wanted to fix it for family road trips but didn’t have the money for it. Over time, the trailer became storage for tools and miscellaneous items.
While trying to make space for his family, Adam noticed the mold inside the trailer. He didn’t want to bring his kids into such an environment, but he didn’t have a choice. His ankle pain worsened due to the rain and cold, but he kept going.
Meanwhile, Maggie watched him clear the clutter from their trailer. She knew he was in pain from a swollen ankle. When Adam returned, they awoke Emma and Charlie and rushed to the trailer.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
Adam, shielding Emma from the rain, led the way. Maggie followed with Charlie. Adam then returned to the house for towels, clothes, and other necessities.
In the trailer, Maggie made the beds while Emma and Charlie watched the storm.
“Come here,” she called them.
“When Dad comes,” Emma said, pouting.
Maggie couldn’t blame them. Although the house was just across the lawn, having been in the wind and rain had made them realize the severity of the situation.
***
“There he is!” Emma exclaimed as Adam returned, soaked.
Adam, in pain, struggled with his boots. Maggie helped him take them off, wishing she could do more. The family settled in as the storm raged.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
After his family fell asleep, Adam watched their house succumb to the storm. There was nothing he could do to save their home. Seated in the driver’s seat, he dozed off.
The next morning, the rain was gone, and the sun shone brightly. Adam and Maggie looked out of the trailer at their damaged home.
“We’ll fix it,” Adam reassured Maggie, despite financial worries.
“Where is the roof?” Emma asked, seeing the damage.
“It was the storm, honey,” Adam explained.
“Adam, what’s that?” Maggie asked, pointing to a pile of boxes sitting right next to the trailer door, covered by a tarp.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
Adam opened the boxes one by one and found water, food, and essentials. He even found painkillers in one of the boxes.
Meanwhile, Maggie found a message among the supplies, and it read:
“The library was untouched by the storm. Come here when you’re ready,” it said.
Deciding to investigate, the family walked to the library. When they arrived, they saw people milling around. Inside were tables set up with different items if people needed them. There was a play area for kids, too.
“I was so worried,” Diane, Maggie’s friend and the librarian, said as she approached them. “I heard that your side of town was hit the most by the storm!”
“It was pretty bad,” Maggie told her. “We stayed in the trailer until it calmed down. But we saw that most of our roof had caved in this morning.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
“Oh no!” Diane exclaimed, clutching Maggie’s hand.
“I’m going to take the kids to the play area,” Adam told them and took them away.
“Adam is really stressed out by the whole thing,” Maggie said.
“I understand,” Diane told her. “Did you get the boxes?”
“That was you?” Maggie asked, holding onto her hand tighter.
“Yes, but I asked my son to drop it off because I had to set up here,” Diane explained.
“Thank you, Di,” Maggie said.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Maggie’s eyes welled up. Having someone looking out for them meant that Maggie and Adam could take a moment to breathe. They could sit back knowing their children were safe in the library, surrounded by adults and other children in the same situation. And for that, Maggie was grateful.
“Listen, I know you’re probably stressed about where to go,” Diane said. “But you must know that my home is open to your family. And it’s not just a temporary place until you find something else. You can stay for as long as you need, Maggie. I mean it.”
Maggie nodded and pulled Diane into a hug.
“I wouldn’t know how to thank you,” Maggie said against Diane’s hair.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“You could help me cook,” Diane said, grinning. “You know I hate cooking.”
Maggie laughed.
Meanwhile, Emma and Charlie found other children from their school and ran to play in the library area dedicated to them. Adam stood alone, watching them and grinning when a nurse approached him.
“Sir, do you need anything?” she asked.
“Uh,” he paused. “Actually, yes. My ankle,” he said. “I twisted it at work yesterday, and I’ve been on my feet ever since. Do you think you can look at it?”
“Of course, come with me,” she said.
Adam let himself be led by the nurse to another corner of the library where the medical supplies were. She examined his ankle.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“Oh, boy,” she said. “This must hurt.”
“Like hell,” he agreed.
After the nurse had taken care of Adam’s ankle, she released him with strict instructions. “I know you want to get to your wife and children, fine. But find them and sit down,” she said.
Adam thanked her and left.
When he found Maggie, she was sipping on some tea with Diane.
“Adam, Diane brought the boxes,” she said.
“Diane,” he said, sitting down next to them. “Thank you. But how can we repay you?”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“By staying with me until your home is sorted. My son is leaving to return to university on Monday, so I’ll be alone again. Your family will bring my home some joy.”
Adam smiled and took her hand. “Thank you,” he said. “Truly.”
Tell us what you think about this story, and share it with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
If you enjoyed reading this story, you might like this one about a couple who brought home their adopted son only to find him nursing a strange baby in his room the next day.
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