We've all been there—circling a packed parking lot, searching for a spot. Then, someone pulls into a disabled space and steps out of their car looking completely fine, and it's infuriating. After all, you've been hunting for a spot for what feels like forever.
Confronting them directly feels too awkward, so you opt for a less confrontational approach: leaving a passive-aggressive note on their windshield.
Feeling proud, you walk back to your car, happy you told that person off. You feel even better as you take the extra steps from your faraway parking spot to the store. But did you ever stop to think that you might have judged the wrong person?
What if the person who got the note had a good reason for using a car with a disabled sticker and tag?
That's exactly what happened to Emma Doherty, who was shocked to find such harsh words written in a note left on her car.
The note uses some pretty harsh language:
"You lazy conning b-tch. You did not have a disabled person with you! These spaces are reserved for people who need them!!!"
I know avoiding conflict is something we're used to, but if the person who wrote this note had just talked to Emma, the whole situation could've been cleared up.
Instead, Emma had to go on Facebook to respond, calling out the anonymous writer and explaining her situation to everyone. Hopefully, if the note writer sees her post, they'll realize how wrong they were.
Emma is the mother of Bobby, a terminally ill child. Her strong and heartfelt message highlights the misunderstandings about disabilities and reminds everyone that not all disabilities can be seen.
"To the person who put this on my car, which I had put my disabled badge fully on, I'm not angry at your pure ignorance, I'm actually upset with it. How dare you ever accuse anyone of not needing a disabled badge without knowing. I wish you had the balls to say this to my face and I would have told you (even tho I don't need to explain myself to the likes of you) but I'd have happily said why I have a badge."
"I promise to get the stigma away from people with disabled badges who don't "look disabled." I hope this gets shared and back to you and you will see my son is terminally ill, he's had over 15 operations, 3 open hearts, 2 stomach, lung and diaphragm and countless artery stenting operations and spent half his life on intensive care."
She Received A Harsh Note On Her Car For Parking In A Disabled Spot. Her Response Is A Must-readIn her post, she explains how serious Bobby's illness is. He has been through many surgeries and procedures that are anything but easy.
"He's had 2 strokes and was paralyzed, brain damaged and has a spine and hip condition as well as a massive heart condition. The reason I didn't get his wheelchair out was because I was running late because my son, who had a MRI scan, CTSCAN and a dye for heart function yesterday, only got discharged late and was back in this morning so carried him in."
"But for your information not everyone who holds a blue badge needs to have a wheelchair! I've told ... security and broke down, I've sat through things nobody should see but why did your note break me? Because it's your pure ignorance towards others. I'm a single mom trying my best to hold it together for my son who's in and out if hospital. NOT ALL DISABILITIES ARE VISIBLE and I hope you regret doing this and learn your lesson!"
"Throughout her post, Emma simultaneously castigates the person and drives one important point home: Just because someone isn't in a wheelchair or crutches, doesn't mean they aren't disabled or in need of physical care or assistance."
"I knew something would be said one day as every day I get looks and stares and see people whispering to each other about me and Bobby walking from the car. Everyone needs to stop and think before acting. I hardly ever let anything upset me but this did. How aggressive as well, and as for conning my son's disabled pass... [It] is not a con, he's actually seriously ill. I've added a picture of him to prove not everyone looks ill or disabled but can be seriously ill."
At the end of her message, the mother points out that she's sure the note wasn't written by a hospital staff member because people who work in healthcare understand the many reasons someone might have a disabled tag on their car.
"I'd like to point out this has nothing to do with the hospital itself. They were lovely with me when I was upset and they treat us with every respect, always have [in our] 3 long years with them. They've saved my son's life many times. It [was] just somebody who was parked [there]."
Her post quickly went viral, with many people agreeing with her and thanking her for helping to show that many people have different disabilities, and not all of them are easy to see.
She Received A Harsh Note On Her Car For Parking In A Disabled Spot. Her Response Is A Must-readIt turns out, Emma isn't the only parent who's faced judgment from people for having a disabled sticker on their car. As if dealing with a sick child wasn't hard enough, they also have to put up with rude comments from strangers about a parking spot.
She Received A Harsh Note On Her Car For Parking In A Disabled Spot. Her Response Is A Must-readBobby's condition has caused his pulmonary artery to stop working, meaning his blood can't flow properly through his body. Because of this, walking long distances or doing many physical tasks that healthy people take for granted is impossible for the 3-year-old.
Because of her son's condition, Emma has to take him to the hospital for treatment every week. Seeing the note on her car while dealing with it made her upset. Luckily, she used her frustration to share a positive message.
Touched by the positive responses, Emma returned online to thank everyone for their support and for helping raise awareness that disabilities come in many different forms.
"My inbox is full of people who have told me they have been stared at or even spat at. This is a serious problem and I just want it to change. I am hoping by sharing what I went through people will start to think before acting."
