The Plea Of One Great Dad On Behalf Of His Beautiful Son
[guest post by Dana]
In the midst of a lot of stupid stuff in the news and Trump behaving like Trump, I wanted to close the weekend with a post that isn’t about the chaos of politics, the disgusting political kabuki that happens day in and day out, and the rank hypocrisy we see on both sides of the aisle. Instead, I wanted to put up a post that reminds us about the quality of life. Real life. Because real life is happening here on the ground, and for some, the schemes and dreams of politicians don’t garner much more than an exasperated sigh. And sometimes you have to let go of the big world – big picture stuff, and circle back home to your small corner of the world where your presence makes an enormous difference in the lives of those you love. That one place where you can affect monumental change right when it’s needed the most.
Consider Dan Bezzant, whose nearly-8 year old son, Jackson, is afflicted with Treacher Collins Syndrome. Because of how the condition affects the development of bones and facial tissues, and in Jackson’s case, leads to deafness, Jackson regularly faces vicious teasing from classmates. And from adults. According to Dan Bezzant, adults behave worse than the children. Already having had had one major surgery to rebuild one of his eye sockets, he will face other surgeries as time goes on.
Last week, having received a report from his wife that students made fun of Jackson, telling him he looked like a “monster,” Bezzant poured out his anguish in a Facebook post:
My heart is in pieces right now…my soul feels like it’s ripping from my chest…this beautiful young man my son Jackson has to endure a constant barrage of derogatory comments and ignorance like I’ve never witnessed. He is called ugly and freak and monster on a daily basis by his peers at school. He talks about suicide … he’s not quite 8! He says he has no friends and everyone hates him. Kids throw rocks at him and push him shouting these horrific words … please please take a minute and imagine if this were your child. Take a minute to educate your children about special needs. Talk to them about compassion and love for our fellow man. His condition is called Treacher Collins. Maybe even look it up. He’s endured horrific surgery and has several more in the coming years. Anyway … I could go on .. .but please educate your children. Please … share this. This shouldn’t be happening … to anyone.
Dan Bezzant reminds us of what really matters:
Jackson may not look like your ‘normal’ kid, but he is such a good boy and he’s got a huge heart. That’s what matters.
Jackson Bezzant needs some encouragement. If you would like to send him a card, you can do so here: P.O. Box 1563 Idaho Falls, ID 83403. Better yet, send him a birthday card. His birthday is Sept. 28. He will turn 8 years old. Help make it a happy day for a sweet kid.
(Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.)
–Dana