“As a child, we moved a lot. There were always rude comments. ‘What is that red thing on your face?’ Because of my birthmark, I never had a girlfriend in high school, never went to the prom. When my dad asked me if I wanted to get treatments, I refused. ‘The only thing worse than a giant birthmark on my face would be a giant swollen, burnt and scabbed birthmark on my face.’ I had no idea it could get progressively worse.”
‘Are you sure it’s just a birthmark? Is it contagious? That’s gross.’ I was nicknamed ‘Two-Face.’: Man with Port-Wine Stain overcomes harsh bullying, urges ‘it’s helped me change lives’
‘I can’t! I can’t leave the house without makeup!’ I was shocked. He looked me in the eye. ‘You can’t, or you won’t?’: Woman embraces port wine stain birthmark after years of ‘feeling ashamed, insecure’
“I waited after I had my son to start treatments. The swelling, bruising and scabbing made me feel worse than my red, bold birthmark. I was miserable stuck at home, hiding, waiting for it to heal. I asked my husband if he’d get me In-N-Out. ‘Yeah, let’s all go.’ I was in shock. Why would he think I’d leave the house with my face all bruised and swollen if I can’t even leave the house with my birthmark in its normal state?! That’s when I lost it. Tears streamed down my face.”
‘Aww, You’re such a freak of nature!’ I stood there, with my own obvious difference, unsure of what to say. Because I’ve been there. ‘Two-face.’ ‘Ugly.’ ‘Freak.’
“I went to the animal shelter to look at puppies. Then I saw her. She has extra claws on her back paws. I ranted. I raved. If that’s what she thought about a dog in her care, what was she thinking about the customer standing in front of her with half of a purple face?”
‘I was fat shamed by a complete stranger on a plane.’
“As I looked back to confirm he moved, 4 rows back, I overheard him tell his new neighbor in row 15, ‘That girl up there is so huge, I…’”
‘CRYSTAL!’ I heard her yell, as her eyes lit up’: 9-year-old overjoyed to meet woman with ‘same beautiful purple hue’ prominent birthmark
“Until that afternoon, Naomi and I had never met – but she knew who I was. Even though we have a 17 year age gap, we already had many common life experiences: Stranger’s uncomfortable stares. Unkind comments. Medical treatments.”
How a birthmark sparked hope and bonded two children
“This kid has more kindness, empathy, and emotional intelligence than many people quadruple his age.”
