Real life and all its insanities

[namaste]

So here in the Detroit area, people have been following the story of a 7 year old girl who has been cyberbullied. A dying 7 year old girl. Of Juvenile Huntington's Disease. Whose mother died of Huntington's just two years ago in her 20s. And she and her family are being cyberbullied on Facebook. And bullied in real life through stuff like having a truck containing a coffin parked in front of her grandmother's house, by her grandmother's neighbors, apparently because the neighbor's kid wasn't invited to a family birthday party quickly enough.

Yeah.

Pretty crappy.

But all is not lost for humanity. Local toy story organizes fund raisers and treats the girl to a shopping spree. There are clowns. And a balloon wand. And roses. And a white limo.

If you've got any tears left after watching the Chilean miner rescue, just check out the videos. Or this comment from the store owners in the comments:

When I was getting my goodbye hug (and trust me, she hugged me like crazy), I whispered in Kathleen's ear and asked her, "Sweetheart, what was the best part of the day?" She thought for a moment, and whispered back... "Ponies." She smiled as she put her head on my shoulder.

Comments

[taiga13]

Call me cynical but I have to ask: they are sure the girl's family isn't making this up, right?

[knitty_woman]

I just don't understand how grown ups (and I use the term only chronologically) can engage in such reprehensible behavior, particularly against a child. It bodes ill for the children of these people. I'm reminded how Anne Frank wrote of her belief that people are basically good. She's right - it's remembering that fact in the face of visceral hatred that's difficult.

[pwcorgigirl]

Oh, man, what a sweet child and what a wonderful thing the store owners did for her. &hearts

(And talk about the neighbors from Hell, which is where I sincerely hope they wind up for tormenting that family.)

[namaste]

Oh yeah, it's real. Police have been involved, the family has a personal protection order against the neighbors and the neighbors have finally "apologized" -- or at least the Dad did, once the publicity hit -- if you can call "My wife gets really emotional about family issues" an apology.

[topaz_eyes]

There should be a Special Hell for those neighbors. A dying child? Really? Bullying is terrible no matter what, but that's just reprehensible.

OTOH, the asshattery of the bullies being revealed to the world, now, that is justice.

On the bright side, I am so happy that there are decent, kind, giving people who came together to give Kathleen her special day.

[namaste]

The bullies have definitely been revealed. And I can't really say that I feel that sorry for them.

[taiga13]

I can't imagine what kind of person would such a thing. But on the optimistic side of life, for every nutjob like that there are many more people like the toy store owner. What a touching story.