As it is tradition for most American families, Natalie Weaver shared a Christmas photo of her family on Facebook. The photo included her 10-year-old daughter, Sophia, who has Rett syndrome, a neurological disorder, which causes facial, hand and feet deformities.
Weaver is a well-known advocate for children with disabilities. She is the founder of Sophia’s Voice, a nonprofit that assists people with chronic illnesses and disabilities to get their medical needs met.
“We are grateful for another beautiful holiday season with Sophia,” Weaver stated in the Facebook post. “She continues to overcome and fight every daily challenge and difficulty she faces. She does it with so much sweetness, laughter and positivity. She is the definition of strength. I’m so proud of my girl.”
One of the comments shocked Weaver.: “If you TRULY loved her, you’d go the selfless and empathetic route by putting her out of her misery,” Kelsey Monahan Saum wrote.
In her message, Saum called Weaver a “sick and twisted self righteous Christian” and said “I hope you get sterilized so you can’t produce anymore defective offspring.”
As a mom, Weaver was scared and heart broken, “I was shocked at how vile and hateful these remarks were. Once I got home from picking my kids up from school, I went to the bathroom so my kids wouldn’t see me cry.”
Saum, who declined an interview with The News Tribune in Cornelius, N.C., lied and said she worked as a property manager but gave an address of a locksmith shop who couldn’t confirm her employment.
Saum’s LinkedIn page listed her as a seller of Young Living Essential Oils. The company terminated her account, stating, “This is unacceptable and not representative of our values. It is so painful to see these vile messages.”
Weaver shared Saum’s post on Twitter:
This is what I get for posting a proud holiday pic of my child(like all other mom’s). Only I’ll never be allowed to post proud & sweet moments without receiving vile judgments, ignorant statements & hate. I can’t change this on my own. I need your help. #SweetSophia pic.twitter.com/OHmU5h8Bia
— Natalie Weaver (@Nataliew1020) December 5, 2018
Her friend, actress Alyssa Milano, re-tweeted the post to her more than three million followers:
This is my friend Natalie. My Natalie posts pictures of her child like any other mother.
The only difference is—Natalie’s child has facial deformities.
If it’s in your nature to lash out at Natalie because her child looks different, you are part of the problem.
#FightLikeAMom https://t.co/KVyZooskMO
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano)
December 5, 2018
The backlash worked as Saum and others who were unfortunate enough to share the same name deleted their social media accounts.
Weaver has had to deal with this type of hate in the past. Last year, a Twitter user used a photo of Sophia in a tweet advocating for coerced abortion.
Weaver shares hateful messages so change can happen.
“I would like for the public to see the kind of hate that profoundly disabled children and children with facial deformities receive. I want everyone to see the beauty and value in every soul no matter what their abilities are. Every single human being deserves love, dignity, and respect.”
We are grateful for another beautiful holiday season with Sophia. She continues to overcome & fight every daily challenge & difficulty she faces. She does it with so much sweetness, laughter and positivity. She is the definition of strength. I’m so proud of my girl. #SweetSophia pic.twitter.com/7kCqNusF5S
— Natalie Weaver (@Nataliew1020) December 5, 2018
