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.
Woman Finds Diamond Ring On Beach – When Jeweler Sees It, He Tells Her This
A couple is now closer than ever after their misplaced diamond ring was discovered on a nearby beach. This is the tale:
Samantha, who frequents the beach, was strolling down the sun-drenched seashore one day when she happened upon the stunning diamond ring.
She was drawn to the ring right away since it shimmered in the sun’s golden beams. Samantha saw an etching reading “E and J” on the inside of the ring after closely examining it.
Samantha made the decision to take the ring to her neighborhood jeweler, Mr. Dalton, after realizing how emotional it must be for its owner. She was hoping he could help find the diamond’s true owner.
When Mr. Dalton, Samantha’s trusted jeweler, saw the ring, he had an unexpected response. The discovery made him pale, and he looked noticeably scared.
His response surprised Samantha, who was unable to understand why the ring had such a profound effect on him. Samantha was left with a ton of questions after Mr. Dalton suggested they call the police right away.
Mr. Dalton and Samantha brought their concerns to Officer Paula Hawkins at the police station, and she treated the matter seriously. They clarified that the ring was the property of
Mrs. Dalton and was a treasured present that Mr. Dalton personally gave her. Husband of Jennifer Dalton was furious because she had vanished from their lives.
Searching from the shore where the ring was discovered, Officer Hawkins got to work. She looked at security camera footage from a neighboring beach bar and conducted interviews with beachgoers. Officer Hawkins persevered, determined to find Mrs. Dalton, even though at first he was meeting dead ends.
Officer Hawkins made the decision to follow Mrs. Dalton’s path back to the Dalton home from the beach. She saw a woman who looked like Mrs. Dalton on the beach along the way. As she got closer, her heart raced. She was relieved to see that the woman she thought was Jennifer Dalton was indeed unconscious on the beach.
Jennifer clarified that her phone had died after she had taken a nap on the beach and fallen asleep. This clarified her inability to get in touch with anyone. Officer Hawkins offered to drive Mrs. Dalton home, relieved to find her safe.
Mr. Dalton was ecstatic to see his wife safe and well back at the Dalton home. Happy tears streamed down the couple’s faces as they hugged. Mr. Dalton surprised Jennifer with a brand-new, even more exquisite diamond ring that was etched with the words “E and J” to make up for the missing ring.
In a heartfelt moment, Jennifer expressed her forgiveness for misplacing the original ring, and their experience had reinforced and revitalized their love.
We are reminded of the value of cherishing our loved ones and the strength of love by this endearing narrative. The depth of our affection for one another is something that can occasionally be discovered even after losing a priceless item.
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