We’re often taught that we shouldn’t be so quick to judge others.
And this is because these judgements are based on assumptions and ignorances, which could hurt others who are being judged.
A woman named Nikki Waller recently became the victim of such assumptions, which not only hurt her but also her son.
It happened when she took her two kids to Walmart. When she drove into the parking lot, she saw that there was an empty handicap parking space. So, she pulled her car into the spot, and then hung a handicap plaque on the rearview mirror.
After shopping with her kids, Nikki returned to their car, only to find a handwritten note placed on the window of her car.
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When she read it, she was shocked and hurt.
She didn’t have the chance to hide the note from her kids, so they also read this note and were equally devastated.
It read, “Did your welfare check come today?” accusing the family of abusing the handicapped parking spot.
The note also contained some hateful comments towards Nikki.
Whoever wrote this note obviously saw them walking into the store after parking the car. Because they all looked okay, he or she jumped to conclusions.
What he or she didn’t know was that one of Nikki’s kids is suffering juvenile arthritis. Because the condition is severe, her 7-year-old son Alex had been wearing ankle braces under his jeans.
Since they were hidden under his pants, Alex obviously looked healthy.point 178 | However, even with the braces, he’s been having a hard time walking – which is why parking in the handicapped spot was necessary.point 297 |
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It was already painful enough to watch her little son struggling with pain everyday, but reading this note simply broke Nikki’s heart.point 119 | Alex was also shocked from reading the note, and could not believe that someone would be so mean to him.point 204 | 1
In the hopes of reminding others to be extra careful when making judgments, Nikki then posted the note that she received on Facebook, which went viral.
According to the interview with WTAE, Nikki said that “There are people with invisible diseases and illnesses who do need handicap parking. Just because 20 feet away they don’t look like they do, they may have something going on that you don’t even know about.”
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