Couple Adopts 4 Kids with Albinism, Ask People to Stop Taking Selfies with Them
A stunning family; five of Jon and Liz Grabowski's children, are adopted - four of which have albinism. While they are simply living every day as a healthy, happy family, some individuals are intent on disrespecting them.
Only 1 in 17,000 children have a rare genetic condition called albinism which causes a lack of melanin. This condition presents as light eyes, hair, and skin, sometimes causing issues with vision.
Out of these 17,000, these parents adopted four children with albinism, all from China. This is along with their two biological children and one other adopted child that does not have albinism.
Jon Grabowski and his wife, Liz Grabowski’s five adopted children.┃Source: youtube.com/TLC
THE FLOWER OF THE FAMILY
The first child with albinism is Lily, who was put in an orphanage after her parents abandoned her. Sweet Nectar Society, which does photography sessions at no cost for special needs children, described her as:
"Smart, fun, loving, and her laugh is contagious. Nothing is going to stop this girl from doing what she sets her mind to."
She was adopted when she was just under two years old and is considered legally blind but uses a video magnifier to not only read but do so far above her grade level.
THE HEART OF A LION
Next to join the loving family was Mae, who doesn't have albinism, followed by her brother Nathaniel. This young boy was said to have many hobbies:
"He builds lego, plays drums with 'We Got the Beat', and spends hours drawing amazing artwork."
Nathaniel also wanted to be a superhero when he grew up and has a soft heart and an urge to save the world.
A SOUL MADE OF GOLD
Beautiful little Kaelyn from China then came walking into their lives who not only has albinism but is intellectually disabled. According to an Instagram post of her, Kaelyn is:
"...the sweetest child you could ever meet."
Coming from a neglectful background, this young girl couldn't eat or walk properly but made great strides over years of staying with the Grabowskis. In the space of five years, she learned to talk and read.
THE CLASS CLOWN
The last child they took in with albinism is Emily, who also spent the beginning of her life in an orphanage. Commenting on her, Sweet Nectar Society expressed:
"Emily is a bundle of joy. She constantly makes her family laugh and is quickly finding her place amongst her siblings."
This little one is also legally blind, a common effect of having albinism. With her charismatic energy, as her mother said, "Emily has just brought so much spice into our family."
A PLEA FOR COMMON DECENCY
Liz adores raising these stunning children but said that the reaction from society has been interesting. The mother stated that people are usually just curious and approach the issue with respect. Other times, Liz expressed, individuals are rude:
"People reach out and touch our children’s hair without asking. We have even had to step in and stop strangers from taking selfies with our kids!"
The mom also explained that people outright stare and point at the children while murmuring among themselves on occasion. She also explained that the term "albino" is offensive and that people should learn to say "people with albinism" instead.
With so many individuals showing interest in this beautiful and dynamic family, a series called "Born With Albinism" has been launched on TLC.
Hopefully, viewers will not only get to experience Emily's sassiness or Kaelyn's sweetness but also begin to understand what albinism truly is about and learn to let go of their biases in the process.
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