Our parents are our greatest support in life and just the thought of having them by our side makes everything easier. They are the people who are willing to risk it all for the well-being and the happiness of their little ones.
For a woman named Richie Ann Castilo from Cebu City in the Philippines understanding the role of her dad in her life took some time, but she now knows that she owes him a great deal.
Her father who has Down Syndrome has often been a victim of bullying and has been called names, and she has been mocked because of his condition too.
Both Richie Ann and her father experienced many inconveniences during their lifetime mainly because of the way people with Down Syndrome are perceived by the society.
But despite the bullying and the numerous health issues Richie Ann’s father experienced, he has always been the best father she could ever ask for and she wanted people to know that. So, on his 50th birthday, this loving daughter shared a post in which she expressed her gratitude to the most important person in her life, her daddy.
“Dear, Dad,” Richie Ann wrote. “Today marks a very special and very miraculous moment of your life. You turn 50 today and I am so blessed that you continue to live such a long and beautiful life. Doctors are still amazed by it!
“I know you won’t be able to read this because I don’t know if you have Facebook, but I want the whole world to know how proud I am that you are my dad. I want the whole world to know how beautiful you are inside and out.”
She wrote how she remembers the times when she was mocked and shamed because of her dad’s condition.
Being young and vulnerable she tried distancing from him during those times, but then she got older and understood that what others had to say should have never affected the way she saw her father who is the most amazing person ever.
“I understood this later on and it made me a coward. But you deserve more than the coward daughter that I am. You deserve love, understanding, patience and acceptance as any individual with Down syndrome should. Here I am composing a birthday greeting to you because I’ve never done such a thing. You deserve so much more.“
She continued: “Dad, no amount of words can sum up to how sorry I am for being an absent daughter. I’m sorry for not bringing you to the beach more often or I don’t bring you your favorite dimsum [sic] food or I don’t visit you more often than I should. If there is one thing I regret, it is hiding you from my life because I’m still the same little kid who was afraid of getting bullied. But I love you more than you could ever know, Dad and I am inspired by you always.”
Richie Ann opened her heart in that post and no one blamed her for anything, but praised her for being honest and for not letting others influence or lessen her love for her daddy.
This young woman’s words touched the hearts of many, especially those who are facing certain conditions or have a loved one who does.