A baby girl, Angelica, entered the world adorned with a heart-shaped port wine stain on her face. Her parents embraced this unique mark as a cherished addition to their beautiful family.
The baby girl was born in 2018, bringing immense joy to her parents.
Sadly, not everyone saw her beauty, subjecting her to harsh criticism and hurtful comments about her appearance. Marianna, living in Adelaide, South Australia, shared her family’s immense joy upon the birth of their daughter, Angelica. They cherished the unique birthmark on her face, finding it beautiful and worthy of celebration. Sadly, they encountered hurtful comments from others.
Angelica endured relentless bullying, enduring harsh criticism from some who called her ‘hideous’ and ‘defective.’ Heartbreakingly, someone even went as far as telling her parents she would never find love.
Marianna told The Mirror: “The worst comment online that I’ve gotten is when someone asked if her face had been pushed onto a skillet. Basically, saying her face looked grilled.”
She added: “In person, I think the most hurtful thing was when someone at a soccer game told me that she was a ‘defect’. He just said that to me and then walked away, I was shocked. I’ve gotten other comments from people saying things like she was hideous, that she would never get a boyfriend later in life and that I shouldn’t have let her play with boiling water.”
Despite constant suggestions to cover her baby girl’s face with makeup or reassuring words about the birthmark disappearing with time, Marianna remained resolute. She firmly believed in her daughter’s innate beauty, undeterred by anyone’s opinions.
The mother strongly advocates against making hurtful and unsolicited remarks, emphasizing the importance of considering others’ feelings before speaking.
“They are literally bullying a baby. She is not even two yet, it is disgusting behaviour. I don’t care what anyone says though. I would never hide my little girl because of it, I think she is absolutely stunning,” she said.
“I think some people are in denial about the stain, they think it will fade over time,” she continued. “The thing I hate most is when people tell me she can just cover it with make-up when she’s older.”
Marianna added: “Why should she cover it up? If she wants to flaunt it, she can. The other comment that annoys me is when people see her and tell me not to worry because she is ‘still beautiful’. It is such a back-handed compliment.”
In May 2020, Marianna painted her and her older daughter’s faces to resemble Angelica’s, hoping to recreate the sense of unity she once felt when looking in the mirror. It was an attempt to find solace and feel a sense of togetherness.
“I got the idea from vascular birthmark awareness day, where they encourage people to paint a heart on the cheeks. Initially I just did the heart with my makeup look but then I thought why don’t I go all out and do Angelica’s port wine stain,” the mom said, according to The Epoch Times.The mother of three reassured that her baby girl underwent tests confirming her physical well-being and alleviating any concerns.
“We just need to have regular check-ups, especially for her eyes as glaucoma can be a concern. It was quite overwhelming to learn of these extra things that could go along with a port wine stain,” she told The Mirror.
She concluded: “But she is doing so well, and we couldn’t be prouder of her. It breaks my heart to think about anyone being mean to her. But I see her now, and she is such a confident little girl and she isn’t afraid of anything.”
