Most of us still remember the heartwarming childhood memories of going to the mall to see Santa, sit on his lap and have a chit-chat with him. The kind man with the long white beard used to show us love and affection, made us smile and remind us to be good kids or we’d only receive coal in our stockings.
To kids, Santa Clause is unstoppable and invincible, he would make everyone’s wish come true. That’s why, I used to make a long Christmas wish list because I knew he will be delivering all my gifts on Christmas Eve.
Like other kids, 7-year-old Garrett Coynes is so excited to meet Santa at the mall. This becomes a family tradition at the local mall every year.
However, this year, a parking lot Grinch decided to ruin the young boy’s holiday spirit.
When Garret was three years old, he was diagnosed with Batten’s disease. The neurological disease is degenerative, causing him to slowly lose his motor skills. His speech is declining and he relies on a wheelchair to get around. There is no cure for this illness. Unfortunately, it usually ends with childhood death.
Garrett’s mom wants her son to celebrate this moment and spend joyful moments with Santa just like other kids. So she happily takes her son to visit Santa.
She parked in a handicapped spot and took her son inside the mall to meet Santa.
Their visit with Santa was fun and memorable, but when they returned to their car, Nancy outraged to find a sickening note scrawled in red lipstick on her window:
“UR not handicap.”
Nancy was in shock and couldn’t even imagine that someone would be so bold to write something disgusting when they don’t realize what everyday is like for her son and her family .
“I can’t believe someone could be so obnoxious and ignorant and rude about a situation that I struggle with daily,” Nancy said.
Nancy didn’t do something illegal – She has the right to park in the handicapped spot and she has the required sticker to prove it to anyone who may disagree with her parking.
The mall where this incident took place has also spoken out. They said they are extremely offended by what happened and are working closely with the local police in their investigation.
While the Coynes family was angered by this person’s actions, after having time to cool off they said they just hope the rude stranger realizes their ignorance.
The family has done much to help educate the public about Batten disease. After Garrett’s diagnosis, they started a non-profit in his name and have raised over $100,000 for research to help other children living with this horrible disease.
Despite the negativity of ignorant strangers, Garrett’s family is determined to give him the best life they can and to keep his spirits high.
“You just have to do the best you can and always move forward,” his dad, Joe, said. “You have to look at it all and say, ‘Let’s just live.’”
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