Many parents love sharing adorable photos of their toddlers with friends and family. This was also true for Patricia Williams.
She took photos of her son with affection. But when she tried to show her collection of photos to friends, she had an unpleasant surprise.
Keep reading to find out more…
Patricia gave birth to her son Redd in 2012. The little boy’s mother didn’t notice that he had white hair until he was two months old, among other things.
When Dale investigated why their baby’s eyes constantly moved from side to side, he discovered something shocking: it was a typical indicator of albinism.
Patricia was skeptical because she had never heard of the term, but the boy certainly exhibited symptoms of albinism, including extremely light skin, white hair, and wandering eyes.
The couple then consulted an optician and a geneticist for a more definitive diagnosis.
Oculocutaneous albinism type 1 (OCA1), which affects one person in 17,000 worldwide, was confirmed as the diagnosis for Redd.
Patricia remembers the enthusiastic anticipation of the hospital staff at Redd’s birth due to his unusual white hair and striking blue eyes.
Patricia, her husband, and their first son, Gage, all had blond hair, so it didn’t surprise her.
Redd’s hair was so white that it sparkled in the sun, she recalled a month after bringing him home.
Even if she tried to shield herself from his gaze, he continued to follow her.
His eyes were a striking shade of blue, bordering on red in certain lighting.
When Patricia’s second son was born with the same issue, she knew it was something they would have to deal with throughout their lives.
Rockwell was born with the same issue as his older brother in February 2018. People on social media used stolen photos of the newborn to create horrible jokes.
Redd has also been the target of teasing at school because of his appearance. Because of this, his older brother, Gage, started looking out for him.
However, as Rockwell’s parents had conducted extensive research on albinism before his birth, they were well prepared for his arrival. However, they were not prepared for their son’s photos to go viral online.
Initially, Dale and Patricia tried to contact everyone who had shared the image to ask them to take it down, but they quickly realized that it was an impossible task.
In an effort to prevent future harassment of children diagnosed with this disorder, they chose to become advocates to raise awareness about the issue.
After doctors confirmed that Redd had albinism, Patricia was devastated.
She was concerned about the child’s sensitivity to sunburn and the potential legal blindness that could affect the child’s future and the family’s relationship.
She clarified the commotion around Rockwell. Her comment was something like, “It’s very unusual to see a baby with white hair, and Rockwell’s hair stands straight up, so it’s very remarkable.”
She gained a large fan base after a meme featuring her son went viral. Over time, she began receiving questions about her son’s appearance and realized that many people were unfamiliar with albinism.
What she knew about albinism came from underrepresented films, she realized. She realized that this was her chance to educate the public about albinism.
After undergoing surgery for strabismus, Redd transitioned from a private school for the visually impaired to a regular public school. The operation proved to be an excellent choice for Redd and his loved ones.
Since making Redd wear an eye patch would have made him even more noticeable, the family decided to correct it surgically.
Now that Redd was older, his “differences” were becoming less and less visible to his peers.
To play outside, Redd needed a hat, dark sunglasses, and sunscreen, but other than that, he was like any other child. And Rockwell, Redd’s younger brother, was doing just fine.
On April 28, 2023, Patricia posted a video of Rockwell participating in his school’s “Western Day.”
This time, the young boy received an outpouring of support and admiration from online users. The little boy received many compliments, including “cute” and “adorable.”
There is a widespread myth that people with albinism have red eyes, Patricia explained. She explained that their lack of eye pigmentation gives them a bluish tint to their eyes.
The boys are thriving now and are happy! We’re thrilled to have such a beautiful family!
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