In fall 2015, Justine decided to take her daughter to the local mall in Australia. She parked in one of the open handicap spaces and the two walked into the stores to enjoy a day of mother-daughter bonding.
When the pair returned to the car, Justine was surprised to find a handwritten note waiting for her on her windshield. She was even more surprised when she read what a stranger had actually written.
Did you forget your wheelchair???
The second Justine read the five simple yet shocking words, she was dumbfounded. Her day was completely ruined.
You see, while Justine may appear “normal,” there was a powerful reason she parked in the handicap spot that day.
Her response to the mean-spirited stranger went massively viral…
Justine Van Den Borne, a mother from Australia, took to Facebook to respond to a cruel note left on her windshield.
“To person that left this on my car last week at Mitcham Shopping Centre — I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when I was 35.
Not just MS but the worst one that never goes away and is slowly crippling my life.”
“My kids have had to deal with things that kids shouldn’t ever have to deal with and all of our futures are forever changed.”
“On the day you saw me I was having a good day, I was walking with my daughter unaided having a nice day.
Thank you for ruining that.”
“You made me feel like people were looking at me, the exact way I feel when I can’t walk properly.
I am sick of people like yourself abusing me on my good days for using a facility I am entitled to.”
“A disability doesn’t always mean a person has to be wheelchair bound but lucky for you I one day will be.
Right now my focus is to walk into my best friends wedding next September and not have to be pushed. I will be 42.”
“Before you ruin another persons day remember you don’t know everything and just because you can’t see it it doesn’t mean a person isn’t struggling to put one foot in front of the other.”
Never jump to conclusions; you never know what people may be struggling with. Please SHARE Justine’s powerful message with your friends on Facebook.
