The bond between a father and a daughter is something incredibly special. Ask most girls and they’ll tell you that their dad was their very first love. But for one daughter in particular, she faced some trials precisely because her father was born with Down Syndrome. Richie Anne Castillo – who lives in the province of Cebu in the Philippines – was mocked and bullied for having a father who was “different” in some people’s eyes, yet she’s proven that her dad is just as amazing as everyone else’s despite being “special.” In fact, he is special, in the most amazing way!
So on her father’s 50th birthday, Richie Anne decided to write a Facebook tribute to her father about how proud she is of him, and how she thinks that the rest of the world should know about it too.
She begins her post writing, “Dear Dad. Today marks a very special and very miraculous moment of your life. You turn 50 today and I am so blessed that you continue to live such a long and beautiful life. Doctors are still amazed by it! I know you won’t be able to read this because I don’t know if you have Facebook, but I want the whole world to know how proud I am that you are my dad. I want the whole world to know how beautiful you are inside and out.”
She continues her post by explaining what her childhood was like. While people made fun of her and meanly called her “abnormal,” she couldn’t understand it at first since all she saw was the man who was her dad, not someone with a disability. She shared, “Dad, it took me so many years before I gathered enough courage to face everyone because not all may know the whole truth because it is quite confusing. Back in grade school, I would be picked on and bullied because they said you were different. As a kid I didn’t see you as different, I saw you as my dad.”
She continues, “I didn’t understand why they were making fun of me and calling me abnormal. I understood this later on and it made me a coward. But you deserve more than the coward daughter that I am. You deserve love, understanding, patience and acceptance as any individual with Down Syndrome should. Here I am composing a birthday greeting to you because I’ve never done such a thing. You deserve so much more.”
She goes on to pay tribute to her father by telling him how strong and brave he has been his whole life. She writes, “Dad, you are the strongest and the bravest human being I know. For almost all your life, you have allowed doctors to insert needles in you, surgeries here and there, a lifetime doing dialysis, and a long list of limitations. But you seldom complain.”
Richie Anne also shares that much of the reason why her father is so strong is because of his relationship with God. She continues, “You are the strongest because after all those surgeries, procedures, and nights at the hospital, you managed to say ‘Wa ko mahadlok mamatay kay ni salig ko sa Ginoo’ (I’m not afraid because I trust in the Lord.) You always put a smile on your face after a long day at the dialysis center, or after a hypoglycemic episode. You are the bravest because you have been through so much and you never, not even once been afraid. I cannot imagine putting myself in your shoes.”
In a heartbreaking turn in her post, Richie Ann also explains the struggles that her father faced throughout his life and the pain he has had to endure. She writes, “I have seen you at your worst when you would break down and say that you are tired. Hearing those words ‘Kapoy na. (I’m tired)’ or ‘Sakit kaayo. (It really hurts)’ made me cry for days and I couldn’t bear going back to the hospital anymore. I have seen you cry because your knee would hurt cause of the fluid. I can’t feel your pain, but how I wish I could take your place so you wouldn’t have to feel any pain anymore.”
She adds, “You lost your teeth, but that never bothered you or kept you from eating the food that you love. You always lose your postiso (dentures) man gud. HAHA! Wa nuon kay ngipon (you don’t have teeth) and I know you do it purposely! I had forgotten how you looked like with teeth or with hair.”
Richie Anne also apologizes to her dad for her absence and how she hid him from her life. She goes on to say, “Dad, no amount of words can sum up to how sorry I am for being an absent daughter. I’m sorry for not bringing you to the beach more often or I don’t bring you your favorite dimsum food or I don’t visit you more often than I should. If there is one thing I regret, it is hiding you from my life because I’m still the same little kid who was afraid of getting bullied. But I love you more than you could ever know, Dad and I am inspired by you always. I’m inspired at how much you love the Lord and I came to love the Lord myself and its amazing at how incredibly intelligent you are.”
Towards the end of her letter, she writes, “Everyone adores you and you know that. You could always put a smile and a laugh on everyone’s faces. You annoy people a lot too but we love you anyways. I understand that you have good days and bad days (your bad days are our bad days as well haha.) You can be mean at times and you push everyone away, including me. But that’s just you and it’s okay. It’s okay to be different.”
She then ends her post with, “I could go on and on talking about you but it would be too long. Happy 50th birthday, Daddy! Thanks for always calling me your one and only baby girl because I always will be. I am strong and brave because of you and I love you so much, dad. I think I’m big enough now to defend myself from the bullies. Lots of love, your daughter.”
Richie Anne’s tribute was posted on her Facebook page on June 2, 2019, and since then, it’s received over 250K reactions, 6.6K comments and 77K shares. Netizens from all over commented about just how wonderful a daughter she is, with many others saying that her tribute to her father brought them to tears. But mostly, it has shown the world that no matter what kind of circumstances families may be in or have in their lives, there is no greater power in the world than unconditional love.
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