When this baby was born, her birth mom abandoned her because of her looks. The infant was born with a rare skin condition, and doctors said she wouldn’t survive. Despite this, a couple saw something special when they met her.
Treating everyone with kindness is always a good idea because we never know what someone else is facing. People suffer many visible and invisible conditions, and their struggles are often made worse by nasty and inconsiderate comments.
The explosion of social media has increased the risk of bullying significantly, and one young woman faced unimaginable pain at the hands of keyboard warriors. Read her inspirational story and discover how she found the strength to keep smiling.
Mui Thomas was born in China, and her birth parents quickly “signed her off” and wanted nothing more to do with her. However, in 1994, Tina and Rog Thomas decided to foster the red-skinned child needing a home.
They expected the baby would only be in their care for a short time because doctors told them, “Mui will die in infancy.” Another health professional also encouraged Tina to forget about the baby and start a family with her husband.Mui’s chances of survival were slim because of her skin condition, Harlequin ichthyosis. It affected her appearance and caused her life to be riddled with many questioning eyes and sideways glances.
During her high school years, bullies said that she shouldn’t have been born, and the constant ridicule left Mui feeling broken and ready to give up.Medical experts predicted she would pass away during the first years of her life, so Tina and Rog stepped in to provide her with a loving home for as long as she needed. Tina recalled the first time she saw Mui:
“She came into the room and I could see this spirit. I could see she wanted to have fun. She wanted to get on with it.”
They Chose to Adopt
Mui was one and a half years old when the couple started fostering her, and they were surprised to watch her grow and thrive as a toddler.
When Mui was three, her foster parents decided to adopt her and looked forward to embarking on a journey with the girl they had come to know and love. Rog shared:
“We met her in a hospital, and my wife told us that we’d look after our daughter for about a weekend and that was 20 years ago so it has been a very long weekend.”
Fate Had Different Plans
Sadly, the couple faced immense judgment, violent opposition, and insults because they chose to adopt Mui. Tina and Rog could conceive a baby naturally and planned to grow their family, but fate had other plans. Rog stated:
“We were volunteers and had agreed to visit Mui for a few weeks that summer before starting our new life and a family in Australia. Plans change!!! Mui became our daughter, and our journeys became entwined forever!”
The Harsh Online Bullying
Tina, Rog, and Mui became a perfect trio. Moreover, Mui’s parents helped her manage her condition well and keep moving forward. However, their journey wasn’t easy, and Mui faced immense hatred from onlookers.
During her high school years, bullies said, “she shouldn’t have been born,” and the constant ridicule left Mui feeling broken and ready to give up. She shared:
“Being cyberbullied was a horrible experience, I was in shock at the idea of someone who wanted to do this to me … those comments really cut me to the bone. Ultimately they made me want to commit suicide.”
Not only was Mui excluded by her peers at school, but by adults, too. One bus driver declared, “She will never go to school on my bus!” She also could not attend school in Hong Kong and was excluded from schools in her area…CONTINUE READING