Everyone faces their own struggles with their looks and/or self-esteem. Maybe you want to lose weight, or maybe you want to fix your teeth. There’s always something you’d probably like to improve.
Whenever I feel like I need motivation, I think of Lizzie Velásquez from Austin, Texas. Lizzie was born with an extremely rare genetic disorder that prevents her from gaining weight, which in turn affects her appearance.
Being tormented can break anyone’s heart and spirit, but Lizzie was determined that those people wouldn’t win. Today, she has turned her life around and is now a global motivational speaker.
Now, I want you, the person reading this, to take a moment and think back to your life at age 16. For me, there are many memories from that time—both good and bad—but overall, it was a period when many things were changing. There were more hormones, emotions, and sometimes even mental challenges to deal with.
All in all, hopefully it was a good time in your life, as it was for me. Now imagine that at 16 years old, you were called “The Ugliest Woman/Man in the World.” Not only that, but there’s even a video of you with the title “The Ugliest Woman/Man in the World.”
That video has hundreds of thousands of views, and in the comments, people are saying the worst possible things about you.
Lizzie Velásquez
How would that make you feel? For Lizzie Velásquez, this was the tragic reality. She was teased throughout her school years—both in person and online—and it could easily have broken her.
But Lizzie had other plans. She decided to gather all that negativity and turn it into something positive. That’s why people admire her so much and want to share her inspirational story.
Lizzie Velásquez was born on March 13, 1989, in Austin, Texas. At birth, she weighed only 2 pounds and 11 ounces, and it was clear from the start that she looked different from the other babies at the hospital.
Being so small, Lizzie didn’t realize she was different, since she had always just been Lizzie. However, when she started kindergarten at age five, she quickly noticed something was different.
“To my family, I was just Lizzie. It was a big slap of reality for a 5-year-old. The other kids were scared of me, pointing at me and not wanting to sit with me,” she told Today. “I couldn’t process it. I wasn’t doing anything to them, so why was it happening to me? And I didn’t dare tell anyone.”
“Finally, I told my parents and they said, ‘There is nothing wrong with you, you are just smaller than the other kids. You are beautiful and smart and can accomplish anything.’”
Lizzie Velásquez – rare conditions
Those words from her family have stayed with her ever since, and they truly hold meaning. No matter how you look, you still have the ability to accomplish anything you want. For Lizzie, however, it required strong mental toughness—and the support of her parents. But we’ll return to Lizzie and how she eventually came out stronger and incredibly inspirational.
So what made her look the way she does? Lizzie was born with two rare conditions: Marfan syndrome and lipodystrophy. These rare genetic conditions affect her heart, eyes, and bones, and prevent her from gaining weight because of the way fat is distributed in her body. It’s so rare that there are only three known cases in the world. Even today, it still puzzles experts.
Not only that, but the condition causes Lizzie to age faster than people without the disorder, and she is also blind in one eye.
As early as kindergarten, Lizzie received hurtful comments from other kids. These remarks continued throughout her childhood, with people labeling her face as “disgusting.”
“At the time, I thought everyone looked like me. I didn’t realize or notice that they didn’t,” she told the Daily Mail.
When Lizzie started high school, things improved. She realized she had power over her own life, and she made a clear decision.
Horrible video on YouTube
She decided she would stay positive, be brave, and take part in all the activities she wanted to do with her friends.
“It was scary, but I knew it would pay off,” Lizzie Velásquez explained. “I was a staff writer for the school newspaper and took photos for the yearbook. I tried out for cheerleading. The uniforms were really cute, and every time I wore one around the school, I felt like a superhero. I was more myself around my peers, the same version of myself I was with my family.”
Things were improving, and Lizzie’s confidence was growing. Then one day, her world collapsed.
While doing homework, she was scrolling on her computer and opened YouTube. Suddenly, she saw a video about herself that would break her heart.
Someone had made a video about Lizzie, calling her “the world’s ugliest woman.” Even worse, the video had millions of views, and many of the comments were cruel.
She couldn’t stop reading them. Some people even wrote that the world would be a better place if Lizzie took her own life. She kept reading, hoping someone would defend her. Sadly, not a single comment did.
“Wanted to prove them wrong”
Lizzie said it felt like someone “was putting a fist through the computer screen and physically punching me.” She could hardly believe what she was seeing.
It’s shocking to think that thousands of people could sit behind their computers and torment a 16-year-old girl suffering from a serious illness. How do those people sleep at night?
This was the worst kind of hate, and it could have destroyed Lizzie. But once again, she picked herself up. In fact, she later said that if she could, she would send a thank-you card and flowers to the person who made the video—because it changed her life forever.
“I didn’t want to retaliate — it was a waste of time,” she said. “I just wanted to prove them wrong. I realized I could use it for the greater good.”
Lizzie refused to let the haters win. She had seen the worst things written about her, but she remained determined to use them as fuel for her future.
She continued her education, and at 23 she earned a Bachelor’s degree in communication from Texas State University.
Inspirational TED Talk
In 2013, she gave a TED Talk in Austin that went viral. Lizzie spoke about how painful the mocking had been, but she also wanted to offer people a new perspective—just as she had given herself.
“For so long, I thought what defined me was my outer appearance,” she said during the talk, explaining that she once imagined “scrubbing the syndrome” off her face.
“Something kind of clicked in my head,” she said about the moment she saw that terrible YouTube video. “Am I going to let the people who called me a monster define me? No. I’m going to let my goals, my success, and my accomplishments define me.”
For most people, enduring that level of hate would be incredibly difficult. But Lizzie isn’t most people—she showed everyone just how strong she is. Because of her condition, she has also had to eat a high-calorie diet frequently to maintain her energy levels.
Today, she is 35 years old and a successful businesswoman who travels the world sharing her story and speaking about her condition.
Lizzie Velásquez – today
“This is my purpose. This is what I’m meant to do for the rest of my life. I like to think that I’m not only telling my story—I’m telling everyone’s story,” Lizzie told the Daily Mail.
She now has more than 850,000 followers on her YouTube channel, where she shares inspirational talks. Lizzie has shown the haters that she is stronger than them—and far more successful than they could have imagined.
“You are beautiful and smart and can accomplish anything,” Lizzie says her parents used to tell her. “They loved me despite so many unknowns.”
Even though Lizzie is a strong and inspirational person, this year has still been difficult for many reasons.
The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t help, and she has also faced bullying on social media, especially on TikTok. Lizzie became the subject of an image that people reacted to online.
The worst part was that a mother had used Lizzie’s photo to prank a child into thinking Lizzie would be their teacher for the next school year.
The importance of respect
In July, it became a disturbing trend among some parents, with some making FaceTime calls to tell their children that Lizzie would be their next teacher.
Lizzie was understandably hurt. What kind of parent would do that to another person? What message does it send to their children? Does it suggest that this kind of behavior is acceptable? Lizzie said it encourages children to judge people based on appearance.
“When kids are in school or out in public, it’s crucial to teach them the importance of respecting someone who doesn’t look like them,” Lizzie said in a video shared on her social media accounts.
“Showing them a video might be a joke, but it can send the message that if my mom or dad thinks it’s funny, then it must be okay for me to laugh too,” she said. “I take great responsibility in the fact that now is the time to do all I can to speak up for those who might not have a voice or who don’t know how to use theirs.”
“I knew in my gut my photo was going to be used,” she added. “After dealing with things like this for a while, I can sense when it might happen.”
A true inspiration
After Lizzie spoke out against the videos, many children began posting their own videos saying how beautiful she was. Once again, the haters had lost.
Lizzie has been praised around the world for her courage. She has written a best-selling book about her life and has even been recognized by former First Lady Michelle Obama.
Beauty comes from within your heart and soul. Lizzie, you are beautiful. Her story is deeply inspirational and reminds us that anything is possible.
Please share this story with friends and family if you think Lizzie is an incredible person.
