It was on one of the Crime stations – a beautiful face of a three year old boy flashed on my TV screen. He was mixed-race with almost half his face dis-coloured. It was his own birth mark, but from the pictures that came on the screen, he seemed content and too young to worry about how the world would treat him for his uniqueness.
He didn’t need to wait for the world to judge him!
Right there in his house, living with his mother and siblings was his step-father who constantly bullied the child, punched him, mocked him and treated him like dirt just because he was shades darker than the other children and had a birthmark! His step-father would make faces at this three year-old boy…and all the while, his mother who was fully aware of what her child suffered in the hands of her husband did nothing to rescue her son.
So one night, the young boy slept and didn’t wake up! He was discovered with vomit by the side of his mouth and on the bed the next morning.
Later, he was pronounced dead in the hospital.
Thankfully, a doctor was able to determine the cause of death after various tests, and it was discovered that the boy received severe punches to his stomach that erupted some of his internal organs and caused the child to die!
No one deserves to be discriminated upon; especially by the people that should love and protect you.
The step-father is serving a 20-year jail term; and his mother is serving her own short term in jail for neglect. In summary, I think we need to love people more. But love starts from truly loving yourself.
Do you love yourself?
– Stephanie
24 Comments
Nkechi Judith
August 29, 2012 at 1:04 pmInspiring,thumbs up Yeah I love myself and i love u too keep up the good work looking forward to meeting u someday
BB
August 29, 2012 at 1:16 pmThis is one sad story; really painful when one faces descrimination, the feeling can be dehumanizing somtimes. Steph u have said it all we really need to love more and luv truely starts frm loving oneself cos u can not give out what u dont have!
cleopatra
August 29, 2012 at 1:36 pmThis is very SAD! No one deserves this. I always wonder why there’s so much hate and discrimination in the world. It hurts though
Cathy
August 29, 2012 at 1:37 pmDo i love myself? many people would rush to say yes they do but if you look at the life they lead it’s the other way round. i used to not love myself or think i could, thank GOD for his graciousness. i do and i am still in the process of loving myself even more. i accepted less before and all that is in the past, it’s not been easy but each day with the LORD’s strength flowing in and through me i no i’ll conquer and come out victorious. People can be so hateful for no just reason even if you have a reason too, choose not to please because then you will truly be #freespirited. it’s just a shame the mother choose to look the other way.
fauzzy rex
August 29, 2012 at 1:40 pmvery painful,an innocent life gone like that.
Nenye Ann
August 29, 2012 at 1:44 pmis so painful shaa! But pple shld stop descriminatn among dem selves. we’re all God’s creation cos God knws d reason g dat. I luv my self so much cos am happi g 4 who am i knw matter wot happen or will happen.
Ada Nnanna
August 29, 2012 at 2:42 pmDis is a very touching story.Yes I luv myself n I luv d way I luk, I wouldn’t giv it up 4 anytin.You’re d best.luv u kip it up.
tolu
August 29, 2012 at 2:50 pmI have a bone deformity wat a lame man would refer to as bow legs. I m 19yrs old nd I av lived with people giving me dat “oooh, u av bow legs” look for as long as I can remember but I av a beautiful and lovable personality. When I was much younger, I remember I used to cry when people stared at or talked about my legs until one day my dad told me everyone had scars although some r not visible to d physical eye. M 19 now, I love me and m living my life d way God planned it nd m loving me nd loving my life although I still get funny looks when people meet me 4 d first time *smiles*. No one should b made to feel less human cos of how they look or the scars, (physical or emotional) they bear nd if u have any scar that makes u feel inhuman, learn to accept nd love urself d way u r. Remember, NO ONE CAN MAKE YOU FEEL INFERIOR WITHOUT UR PERMISSION
Jenny baby
August 30, 2012 at 6:05 amTolu dats d spirit I mean u handled it well and jst like me I am paralysed pple will luk at me and hv this attitude towards me but I learnt to ignore it and move on becuz now I love my self so much
temidayo jacobs
August 29, 2012 at 3:02 pmluv….luv n neva stop loving,bt luv urself first,so u can luv others.Dnt 4get u need 2 luv God in order 2 luv others 4 God is d true luv.
Yahaya Leah
August 29, 2012 at 3:02 pmwot a wicked word!
Sugar
August 29, 2012 at 3:33 pmWhat a touching story.truly i luv myself.tnx 4 d gud work kp it up
Uray
August 29, 2012 at 4:12 pmVery sad. Some women fail in their duties as mothers just for stupid reason of love. Why could the mother not protect the child from the husband. Some women do not deserve to have children period. Poor child RIP
Pamela
August 29, 2012 at 5:12 pmOMG!!!! What a wicked step father! I wish someone will punch him to death in that prison. There are many shows e.g survivor series, X-factor, 1000 ways to leave a game, etc that requires strength and energy if he wants to waste his own or show power, why not enroll for one instead of cutting short the life of an innocent baby! This world is full of wickedness!
rasheedah
August 29, 2012 at 5:26 pmOmg! Dis is so unfair!:(
oge micheal
August 29, 2012 at 6:19 pmsee d extent of man’s inhumanity to his fellow man.we should all learn to accept d fact dat we were all created by one God.i luv my self just d way i am.well done Steph.
Owen
August 29, 2012 at 11:48 pmOh… Steph im feeling so cold, wat a special child, poor innocent and pure, murdered by warewolf parents in their wild home. Killed by those he luvd and trusted, bcos of d color of his skin and not bcos of d content of his character. I wish those monsters never smell freedom to atone 4 their monstrosity. My heart bleeds for dat child.
Jenny baby
August 30, 2012 at 6:03 amWat a touchin story and very painful…do I love myself? If sumone asked me dis question sum yrs ago I wuld say no becuz at dat point in my life I was going thru a lot but now I learnin to love my self and not carin wat pple say or tink becuz we r all hv our issues so steph u r right we shuld learn to luv ourself b4 lovin others.
Chinasa
August 30, 2012 at 9:45 amThis is what happens to ladies with broken homes. A step-father (supposedly boyfriend of the woman) abuses your child right in front of you without any reaction. She deserves more jail time than the man because she’s wicked and should be shown how to treat and bring up a child. As for me, I love myself and show love (in every little way) to the people around me. SL, you’re doing a good job, keep it up because you’re our future leaders (senators and ministers) …
kaylie
August 31, 2012 at 1:10 amI love myself and I love u too. Thanks so much for this inspiring post.
bibi
August 31, 2012 at 8:51 amsome of these kids who makes it alive, end up having complex, they feel like no one love them, like no one cares. even his own mother kept mute…what a world, jst to preserve her current relationship…..it only takes the grace of God to bring out such kids from such. parents love ur child, let them believe in themselves, imagine a child like this in school, he will never believe in himself since the first stage of socialization “the family” does nt even classify him as worthy. God help us all , amen
America;The land of the brave
September 1, 2012 at 2:04 amNot everybody deserves to be PARENTS!
darn! so angry!
There are bullies everywhere!
In schools, place of work and neighborhood!
They are sick! sick! i tell you!
Rest in peace little one.
Rot in pieces murderers!
olufunke
September 1, 2012 at 6:13 pmDts so sad!
snowhite
September 5, 2012 at 2:25 pmYes i love myself so much though i let others make me hate myself for doing foolish things sometimes but i always pick up the broken pieces and move. And as i move on i met better people who try to make me a better person no matter my flaws.