#Relationships: This Woman Penned Down An Emotional Letter For Her Dad With Down Syndrome. It’s Just Beautiful

#Relationships: This Woman Penned Down An Emotional Letter For Her Dad With Down Syndrome. It’s Just Beautiful

I don’t know if it’s a lack of awareness or empathy, or both, because of which some people are still highly insensitive towards specially-abled individuals. Several of these individuals and their family members face bullying and shaming as if having Down syndrome makes you a terrible person. So when Richie Anne Castillo was growing up, she was mocked because her dad had it. Back then, she didn’t appreciate him enough; she didn’t have the courage to face her bullies and tell the world she is proud of him.

But today, she’s a grown-up and has found the strength to face the world and most importantly not care about what the world thinks. As her dad turned 50, she penned down an emotional letter to him and shared it on social media, standing up to the world in her own way.

“Dear Dad. 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,” Richie wrote.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDsZvLmFDkM/

Richie shared how she got confused as a child when she’d get picked on. “Dad, it took me so many years before I gathered enough courage to face everyone because not all may know the whole truth because it is quite confusing. Back in grade school, I would be picked on and bullied because they said you were different. As a kid I didn’t see you as different, I saw you as my dad. I didn’t understand why they were making fun of me and calling me abnormal,” she explained. Richie further added how she understood later and regretted not standing up for him. “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,” Richie continued.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CD36G7eFueR/

“Dad, you are the strongest and the bravest human being I know. For almost all your life, you have allowed doctors to insert needles in you, surgeries here and there, a lifetime doing dialysis, and a long list of limitations. But you seldom complain,” wrote Richie. “You are the strongest because after all those surgeries, procedures, and nights at the hospital, you managed to say ‘Wa ko mahadlok mamatay kay ni salig ko sa Ginoo’ (I’m not afraid because I trust in the Lord.) You always put a smile on your face after a long day at the dialysis center, or after a hypoglycemic episode. You are the bravest because you have been through so much and you never, not even once been afraid. I cannot imagine putting myself in your shoes,” she added, appreciating her dad’s never-give-up attitude.

Richie went on to describe how painful it is sometimes to see her dad break down and be in pain. “I have seen you at your worst when you would break down and say that you are tired. Hearing those words ‘Kapoy na. (I’m tired)’ or ‘Sakit kaayo. (It really hurts)’ made me cry for days and I couldn’t bear going back to the hospital anymore. I have seen you cry because your knee would hurt cause of the fluid. I can’t feel your pain, but how I wish I could take your place so you wouldn’t have to feel any pain anymore,” she wrote. But on the other hand, it is incredibly adorable that even though he lost his teeth, it never bothered him. “You lost your teeth, but that never bothered you or kept you from eating the food that you love. You always lose your postiso (dentures) man gud. HAHA! Wa nuon kay ngipon and I know you do it purposely! I had forgotten how you looked like with teeth or with hair,” Richie said.

She apologized for not being there enough and hiding him from her life. “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 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. I’m inspired at how much you love the Lord and I came to love the Lord myself and its amazing at how incredibly intelligent you are,” wrote Richie.

ALSO READ:A Husband Wrote A Heartfelt Letter To Thank The Hairdresser Who Gave His Dying Wife Her Last Haircut. We’re Not Crying, You Are

https://www.facebook.com/richieannecast/posts/10219066476708370

She concluded her post by saying how he is loved by all and how it’s okay to be different. “Everyone adores you and you know that. You could always put a smile and a laugh on everyone’s faces. You annoy people a lot too but we love you anyways. I understand that you have good days and bad days (your bad days are our bad days as well haha.) You can be mean at times and you push everyone away, including me. But that’s just you and it’s okay. It’s okay to be different. I could go on and on talking about you but it would be too long. Happy 50th birthday, Daddy! Thanks for always calling me your one and only baby girl because I always will be. I am strong and brave because of you and I love you so much, dad. I think I’m big enough now to defend myself from the bullies. Lots of love, your daughter,” Richie wrote in her letter. I am not crying, you are!

ALSO READ:Pros And Cons Of Moving Out Of Your Parents’ Home

Akanksha Narang

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