We are constantly exposed to pictures of people who appear to have ideal appearances as a result of the growth of social media; it appears that the world has grown even more superficial in its assessment of others.
When total strangers feel the need to criticize someone for their appearance on social media, the world can seem awfully cruel to those of us who don’t match the stereotyped “ideal” pattern.
Nobody is more aware of this than Karine de Souza. Due to a unique skin issue, a Brazilian woman has spent her entire life covering her skin in SPF100 sunscreen, even while she is at home.
The 33 years old has Xeroderma Pigmentosum, a condition that puts her at a high risk for developing skin cancer.
She is extremely sensitive to UV rays because of her “one in a million” condition, which is incurable and prevents her from being able to repair whatever skin damage the sun may have done.
She can get a sunburn that is terribly painful after only a few minutes in the sun. Because it was too risky for her to spend a lot of time outside her home as a child, she was frequently cut off from the outside world.
“I don’t feel anything when I expose myself to the light; it doesn’t happen immediately. The lesions do, however, later develop and require removal due to malignancy” she said.
Karine has undertaken 130 surgical procedures, including the amputation of her lower lip and a piece of her nose, to eliminate sores brought on by the sun.
However, she has to go through more than just a physical struggle. Karine frequently receives strange looks while walking down the street and has endured online and offline verbal abuse.
However, despite her suffering, she maintains her positivity, is content, and has even found love.
Through social media, she met Edmilson, her husband, who fell in love with her “story and her strength.” Edmilson knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Karine because he has always been by her side.
He also chose to include the three kids from Karine’s former marriage, which naturally meant a lot to Karine.
She claims that “he came and he taught me that I could live a true love story.”
Karine, on the other hand, was once more subjected to a plethora of offensive remarks following the posting of photos of them together online.
According to the Daily Mail, Karine stated, “We have already seen numerous unpleasant comments calling me a monster, ugly, or a zombie.”
Some suggestions implied that their romance wasn’t real, Karine was a “sugar mommy,” and that she must be incredibly wealthy.
Karine stated, “He caught people’s attention because he was a young man and pretty, and they didn’t believe that he was with me because he really liked me.”
After the couple got engaged, a photographer took some pictures of them and posted them online with the following caption:
“In a society where outward appearances are more important than inner feelings, they did not meet by accident; rather, a gathering of souls resulted in an encounter of acceptance, character, and love. Today, you are a source of motivation to a lot of people who lack faith in themselves, in life, and especially in love.
Every day, I appreciate you for being who you are. STOP whining about how you are what you are. Accept life and yourself with a HUG. Thank you very much for teaching me so much. You two are incredible. For so many individuals, you represent the lost hope. I appreciate the warm embrace as well as the wonderful day we shared. I carry your smile with me forever.”
His sincere remarks and the lovely pictures he took of Karine and Edmilson went viral, and thousands of people left messages of congratulations for the happy couple.
Karine wants people to know how important it is to be positive.
He advised, “Be happy, smile, because life only happens once.”
Karine and Edmlson were overjoyed when they gave birth to a daughter in 2023. Karine and her husband had been trying for a baby since 2020, and their daughter, Zaia, came after a long wait.
Karine has been through a lot, but she has found the happiness she deserves because of her positive attitude.
By sharing her story with your friends and family, you can help us inspire others in similar circumstances.