Like many happy mothers, Patricia Williams enjoyed snapping images of her babies when they were still small. Nevertheless, she received an unpleasant surprise when she showed pictures of her son Redd to other people.
Patricia gave birth to a baby in 2012 who had white hair. But she didn’t become aware of some of his special traits until he was two months old. Redd would flutter her eyes, prompting Patricia’s husband Dale to look into the reason. They found that this was a typical albinism-related symptom.
Patricia had never heard of albinism before, so she was dubious. But because Redd also had other symptoms, like white hair, pale skin, and wandering eyes, they went to geneticists and optometrists for assistance. Redd was diagnosed with Oculocutaneous Albinism Type 1 (OCA1), a disorder that affects only 1 in 17,000 persons worldwide. The diagnosis was verified.
Patricia recalls how the hospital staff was enthralled with Redd’s unusual appearance during his birth and was excited about him. However, at first, being a fair-haired family, they didn’t give it much thought. They didn’t understand Redd’s dazzling white hair and blue eyes were more than just a fleeting feature until they had been observing him for a month.
Rockwell, Redd’s younger brother, was born with the same illness in February 2018. Regretfully, wicked people on social media took his baby photos and used them to create hurtful memes. Because of his appearance, Redd had also been the target of bullying at school, which made his elder brother Gage protective.
Patricia and Dale made the decision to become activists for increasing awareness about albinism because they were determined to change things. Realizing that there was little point in attempting to stop their son’s meme from spreading, they chose to concentrate their efforts on informing people about the illness. Many people are unaware that because albinism is not well represented in movies and other media, it is frequently misinterpreted.
Redd switched from a private to a public school for blind children after having eye surgery to treat his strabismus. For Redd, this choice changed everything because it made it possible for him to flourish and fit in with a more welcoming environment.
Redd’s differences are less obvious to his friends now that he is older. They know that when he plays outside, he might require a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen, but other than that, Redd is just like any other kid. Furthermore, Rockwell is thriving, much like Redd.
A video of Rockwell taken on “Western Day” at his school went viral on social media and received a lot of love and gratitude. He was deemed “cute” and “adorable” by others. Patricia used this chance to refute the myth that those who have albinism have red eyes. In actuality, the lack of pigment causes their eyes to lean toward a light blue color.
Redd and Rockwell are doing well and leading the best lives possible right now. We are all inspired by this touching tale of acceptance and resiliency.
We are ecstatic about this amazing family. This touching tale will undoubtedly make an impression, so share it with your friends on Facebook.
