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!
Woman’s One Day Away Becomes a Mother’s Worst Fear After a Call from School — Story of the Day
Mary juggled everything at home while her husband, George, stayed hands-off. Fed up, she decided to take a day for herself, leaving their daughter in his care. But as she relaxed by the ocean, her phone lit up with missed calls from the school. Now, fear set in—what happened while she was away?
Mary stood in the kitchen, moving frantically as she tried to make breakfast. She glanced at the clock and groaned. She had overslept again. Meanwhile, George was still snoring loudly upstairs.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
She flipped the toast out of the toaster, only to see that it was burnt. “Ugh!” she muttered, tossing it aside. Without slowing down, she cracked eggs into the pan, but in her hurry, they burned just like the toast.
Suddenly, her alarm blared again, making her jump. “Oh, come on!” she cried, and in the confusion, she knocked over her cup of coffee.
The hot liquid splashed onto her arm, stinging her skin. “Damn it!” she yelped, grabbing a towel to wipe off the mess.
With no time to waste, she rushed to Missy’s room. She sat on the edge of the bed, gently shaking her daughter awake. “Missy, honey, it’s time to get up,” she said softly. Missy groaned, rolling over and pulling the blanket over her head.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Mary lifted the still half-asleep Missy and carried her to the bathroom. As she helped Missy wash her face and brush her teeth, she glanced at herself in the mirror. Her hair was wild, her pajamas were wrinkled, and a big coffee stain covered her shirt.
She carried Missy down the hall, heading toward the bedroom. She pushed the door open with her foot and saw George sprawled out on the bed, snoring softly.
“George, I’m running late. Missy’s going to be late for school. Can you help me, please?” Her voice was almost pleading.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
George grunted and rolled to his side, burying his face in the pillow. “Five more minutes,” he mumbled.
Mary sighed and hurried back downstairs, Missy clinging to her. She set Missy down at the table, grabbed a box of cereal, and poured it into a bowl, adding milk.
“I don’t want this!” Missy whined, pushing the bowl away.
Mary took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “What do you want, sweetheart?”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“Pancakes!”
Mary glanced at the time. She was almost out of it. “George!” she shouted toward the stairs. “I really need your help! Get Missy dressed!”
Silence. Not a single sound came from George.
Gritting her teeth, Mary grabbed the pancake mix and began braiding Missy’s hair as the batter sizzled in the pan.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
George finally strolled into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes. His gaze landed on the stove. “Oh! Pancakes!” he said with a smile, sitting at the table. Without a care in the world, he grabbed a fork and began eating.
Mary glanced at him, her hands busy packing Missy’s lunch. Her shoulders ached from rushing around all morning, but she kept quiet.
“Did you forget to grab my morning paper?” George asked between bites.
Something inside Mary snapped. The words hit her like a slap. “Your paper?!” she yelled. “Why don’t you get it yourself? I’ve been running around like a maniac this morning getting Missy ready for school! I asked you to help! You didn’t even try!”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
George blinked, looking confused. “But I work, and you’re a stay-at-home mom…”
Mary cut him off. “You’re on vacation!” she screamed. “You know what? I’ve had enough! I’m taking the day off. You’re dropping Missy off and picking her up from school. You’re watching her all day. I need a break!”
George scratched his head, frowning. “I thought she still went to kindergarten.”
“Aaagh!” Mary shouted, storming out of the kitchen. She raced upstairs to the bathroom, slamming the door and locking it behind her.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Mary stood in the bathroom, listening to the faint sound of George and Missy leaving. The front door clicked shut, and for a moment, there was silence.
She let out a long breath. Slowly, she turned on the shower, letting the hot water wash over her. It felt good, soothing her frayed nerves.
Afterward, she got dressed in comfortable clothes, grabbed a small bag, and packed a few essentials—her wallet, a book, and some snacks.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
She walked out of the house, locking the door behind her. Climbing into the car, she started the engine and drove toward the ocean, craving a peaceful escape.
Mary stretched out on the warm sand, feeling the sun on her skin. The sound of the waves calmed her, washing away the morning’s stress. She swam in the cool water, floated on her back, and felt a rare sense of peace. For once, she left her phone buried in her bag.
After a while, she sat up and reached for her phone, thinking it was time to check in. As she turned on the screen, her heart skipped a beat. There were over ten missed calls from the school. Something was wrong.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Mary’s hands shook as she dialed the school’s number. When someone finally answered, she could barely keep her voice steady.
“Hello? You called? Is something wrong?” Mary asked, her voice trembling.
“Yes, Mrs. Johnson,” replied an elderly woman on the other end. “Missy has gone missing. She went outside during recess and didn’t come back.”
Mary’s stomach dropped. “What do you mean? How could she not return?” she almost shouted, her fear rising.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“We tried reaching you and your husband, but we couldn’t get through.”
Mary felt like the world was spinning. “How could you let this happen?!” she screamed.
“Please, Mrs. Johnson, calm down,” the woman said gently. “We’re doing everything we can to find her.”
“How can you say that?!” Mary yelled. “You don’t know what’s happened to her!” Her voice cracked as she spoke. Without waiting for a reply, she hung up, her hands shaking uncontrollably.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
She dialed George’s number, throwing clothes into her bag. When he answered, she didn’t waste a second.
“Where are you?!” she screamed into the phone, her voice filled with panic.
“I’m with the police,” George replied. “I’m giving them information about Missy.”
Mary froze for a moment, trying to calm her racing heart. For once, George was stepping up, actually doing something for their daughter.
“But I was told the school couldn’t reach you,” Mary said.
“Yeah… I was at the bar with a colleague, but I saw the missed calls and called them back right away,” George replied, sounding guilty.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“All right,” she managed to say, her voice steadier now. “I’m on my way.” She hung up, grabbed her keys, and rushed to the car.
She jumped into the car, her hands trembling as she fumbled with the keys. The engine roared to life, and she sped out of the parking lot. Her heart pounded in her chest as she weaved through traffic, ignoring the honks and angry shouts from other drivers.
She gripped the wheel so hard her knuckles turned white. Tears blurred her vision, but she blinked them away, focusing on the road ahead.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Finally, she skidded to a stop in front of the school. Barely shutting the car door, she rushed inside. The teachers and staff crowded around her, their faces filled with worry.
“Missy didn’t come back to class after recess,” one of them explained. “We’ve been searching everywhere.”
Mary didn’t wait to hear more. She darted down the hallways, calling out Missy’s name. She checked every bathroom, looked under tables in classrooms, peeked behind doors, her desperation growing with each step.
“Missy! Where are you?” she cried. She started to feel dizzy, her breaths coming in short gasps. Her mind screamed, This is my fault! I should have never left her with George!
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Mary sat on the school steps, burying her face in her hands. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and her body shook with quiet sobs. She felt helpless. Missy was still missing, and she didn’t know what to do.
Suddenly, her phone rang. She jumped, quickly wiping her eyes. It was George. Her hands trembled as she answered.
“What… what’s the police saying?” she stammered, her voice breaking.
“I found her,” George said, his voice steady.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Mary froze. “You… you found her?” she whispered, hardly believing it.
“Yes, we’re at the park. Come here now,” George replied.
Mary leaped up and sprinted to the park, her heart pounding. When she spotted George and Missy sitting on a bench, relief flooded over her. She ran toward them, dropping to her knees as she wrapped her arms around Missy. Tears spilled down her face, soaking Missy’s hair.
“Sweetie, what happened?” Mary asked, holding Missy close.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Missy looked up, her eyes wide. “Dad said we’d go for a walk later. I got tired at school, so I came to the park,” she said, her voice small.
Mary turned to George, shooting him a furious glance. He shifted his gaze to the ground, guilt written all over his face.
“Sweetheart, you can’t just leave school like that,” Mary said, her voice trembling. “We were so scared. We didn’t know where you were.”
Missy frowned. “I’m sorry. I won’t do it again,” she said. “I just wanted to walk with Dad.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Mary sighed, feeling the weight of her daughter’s words. She squeezed Missy’s hand. “All right, let’s go home,” she whispered.
On the drive home, the car was quiet. Missy had fallen asleep in the backseat, her head resting against the window. Mary gripped the steering wheel, her mind racing.
She wanted to scream at George, to shout about how careless he’d been, how he’d ignored their child for so long. But before she could open her mouth, George broke the silence.
“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice low.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Mary glanced at him, her eyes hard. “Sorry isn’t enough,” she replied, her tone sharp. “Our daughter could have been hurt today. Do you get that?”
George nodded, looking down at his hands. “I know,” he admitted. “I haven’t been the best father.”
Mary shook her head, anger bubbling up again. “It took her going missing for you to realize that? Really?”
George took a deep breath and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small piece of paper and handed it to her. Confused, Mary glanced down. It was a cruise ticket.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“What’s this?” she asked, still angry but now curious.
“You deserve a break,” George said, his voice steady. “After you left this morning, I saw the burnt eggs, the cereal, the pancakes. You made three breakfasts in one morning. And that’s only a small part of what you do every day. I’m sorry I didn’t see it before or appreciate you.”
Mary looked at the ticket, then back at George. “And who’s going to look after Missy?” she questioned.
“I will,” he answered, meeting her eyes. “I’m her father. It’s time I started acting like one.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Mary pulled into the driveway and parked. She turned to George, her eyes softening. Slowly, she leaned over and hugged him, letting the tears flow.
“I’ll do better,” George promised, holding her tight. Mary nodded, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. Finally, he understood.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
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