Thanks to the rise of social media, we’re all bombarded with images of seemingly perfect-looking people; it seems as though the world has become even more shallow in how people are judged.
For those of us that don’t fit the stereotypical “perfect” mold, the world can seem very cruel, with complete strangers feeling it necessary to criticize someone based on their appearance on social media.
Karine de Souza knows this more than anyone. The Brazilian has spent her life covering her skin in SPF100 sunscreens – even when she’s inside her home – due to her rare skin condition.
The 33-year-old was diagnosed with Xeroderma Pigmentosum when she was three years old which means she is at high risk of skin cancer.
Her ”one-in-a-million” condition, which is incurable, means she is highly sensitive to UV rays as she lacks the ability to repair any damage the sun causes to her skin.
Just a few minutes in the sun can mean incredibly painful sunburn for her. Growing up, she was often isolated from the outside world because it was too dangerous for her to spend too much time outside her house.
“When I expose myself to the sun it doesn’t happen in the moment, I don’t feel anything. However, in the future, the lesions appear and need to be removed because of cancer,” she said.
Karine has had to endure 130 surgical procedures to remove lesions caused by the sun, including the removal of her lower lip and part of her nose.
Sadly, it is not only a physical battle she has to endure. Karine often gets stared at in the street and has been the victim of verbal abuse both within her community and online.
But despite her suffering, she remains upbeat and happy and has even found love.
She met her husband Edmilson through social media, who fell in love with her “story and her strength.” Edmilson has always stood by Karine’s side, and he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.
He also decided to embrace Karine’s three children from her previous relationship, which of course, meant a lot to Karine.
”He came and he showed me that I could live a true love story”, she says.
But after posting photos of them together online, Karine was once again exposed to a whole host of offensive comments.
”We have already read many offensive comments calling me a monster, deformed, a zombie,” Karine said.
Other comments suggested that their relationship wasn’t genuine and that Karine was a ”sugar mommy,” and that she must be very rich.
”Because of the fact he’s a young man and pretty, that caught people’s attention and they didn’t believe that he was with me because he really liked me,” Karine said.
A photographer who captured the couple after they got engaged posted a selection of the images online and wrote:
”In a world where appearance matters more than the feeling, they met not by chance, but by a gathering of souls, an encounter of acceptance and character and love emerged when their souls met and today you are the inspiration to so many people who do not believe in themselves, in life and especially in love.
“THANK YOU every day for being who you are. STOP complaining for being like you are. HUG LIFE, and accept yourself. Much gratitude for teaching me so much. You guys are AMAZING. You are the missing hope in so many people. Thank you for the big hug, and for the wonderful day we experienced together. I carry your smile with me forever.”
His heartfelt words and beautiful images he captured of Karine and Edmilson went viral, and thousands of people commented, congratulating the couple.
Karine wants others to realize the importance of being positive.
”Be happy, smile, because life happens only once,” she said.
In 2023, Karine and Edmílson welcomed a baby girl into the world, and they couldn’t be happier! Their daughter, Zaia, was long awaited – Karine and her husband had been trying for a baby since 2020.
Karine has been through so much but thanks to her positive attitude she has found the happiness she deserves.
Her story is inspirational so help us inspire others in similar situations by sharing this story with your friends and family.
Corey Comperatore Is The Man That Lost His Life At The Trump Rally. He Didn’t Deserve This
The 50-year-old was slain by the sharpshooter who made an attempt to kill Donald Trump. Corey Comperatore, a former volunteer fire chief from Pennsylvania, has been identified as the guy who was shot dead by a sniper during an attempt on US President Donald Trump’s life.
At a PA Trump event, Comperatore, 50, perished in the horrific tragedy while trying to protect his daughter.
The former president and two other individuals were hurt by gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks before he was shot and killed by police.
Dawn Comperatore Schafer, Corey’s sister, revealed the heartbreaking news on Facebook and added, “My brother, Corey Comperatore, lost his life due to the PA Trump Rally.” The post was uploaded on Sunday.”The one man we loved the most was killed by our hatred for another man.”
Corey’s wife and daughter also talked about their memories of that day. Allyson, his daughter, recalled, “He protected my body from the bullet that was aimed at us.” He was devoted to his family. Her mother called her father “a real-life superhero,” saying, “He truly loved us enough to take a real bullet for us.”
“Yesterday, what turned out to be such an exciting day for my husband especially, turned into a nightmare for our family,” said Helen, his wife, in an expression of her sorrow. It is inexcusable what my darling girls had to see. That’s what I had to do. He passed away the hero he was always.
It will never be easy for those who knew and loved Corey Comperatore to forget his bravery or his devotion to his family.
His awful death is a sobering reminder of the futility of violence and the enduring power of a father’s love.
Kindly tell your friends and family about this story, and feel free to comment with your thoughts!
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