He would feel such pride. When you love someone, the thought of others intentionally hurting them or picking on them just doesn’t set well with you.
It explains why children commonly defend siblings and why parents take such a strong stance when their children are being bullied.
However, it’s safe to suppose that very few people have ever had to stand up for their own dads when they were being bullied. Young woman from Cebu City, Philippines, Richie Ann Castillo, knows exactly how that feels.
Castillo’s June Facebook post, which was meant to honor her father’s 50th birthday, quickly gained attention due to both the sincerity of her words and the fact that she defied all of the bullies who had tried to humiliate her in the past.
Due to his Down’s syndrome, Castillo’s father has had to contend with a variety of difficulties over the years, both in terms of his health and how he is perceived by others.
Dear, Dad, it is a very important and remarkable day in his life, wrote Castillo. Today is his 50th birthday, and she is so appreciative that he is still leading such a nice and lengthy life. Doctors are still astonished by it!
She is unsure whether he has Facebook, so she knows he won’t be able to see this, but she still wants everyone to know how pleased she is to call him her father. She wants everyone to realize how gorgeous he is both inside and out.
Castillo went on to explain how she had endured numerous assaults over the years as a result of her father’s declining health. She admitted to experiencing embarrassment when she reached a certain age and tried to distance herself from her father in order to avoid being taunted and bullied as a child.
Contrarily, Castillo is a mature adult with superior comprehension. She wants everyone to know how immensely proud she is of her father.
Later, when she became aware of this, she became cowardly. But a cowardly daughter like her is not what her father deserves. He needs respect, tolerance, support, and compassion just like any other person with Down syndrome. She has never written a birthday message to someone before, so she is doing it for him. He deserves a lot more than that.
She closed by saying, “Dad, no amount of words can describe how sorry she is for being an absent daughter.” She expresses regret for not visiting the beach with him more frequently, for not bringing him his favorite dim sum, and for not seeing him more often than she ought to. She regrets keeping him out of her life since she still harbors the same bullying fears she did as a young child. He doesn’t realize how much she loves him, but he motivates her every day.
Castillo’s remarks undoubtedly gained traction on social media because they were shared 67,000 times in a short period of time. Castillo received acclaim throughout the world for her openness and for making the right decision.
Richie Ann, we are so proud of you, and we know your dad feels the same way.
Many people are born every day with unique conditions that make them stand out from the norm. These people are just like the rest of us, and they deserve the same respect and affection.
Please spread the word if you found Richie Ann’s post to be moving.
