In 2018, Angelica was born with stunning facial features and a heart-shaped port wine stain, which made her even more unique and special in the eyes of her family. However, not everyone shared the same sentiment and some people failed to see the beauty in her unique mark.
Despite her family’s acceptance and love towards her birthmark, Angelica’s appearance has been subjected to hurtful comments from others. According to her mother, Marianna Bowering, the worst comment they received online was when someone insinuated that Angelica’s face looked like it had been grilled on a skillet.
Marianna also shared that there were instances where Angelica was cruelly called “hideous” and a “defect,” which had a detrimental impact on their family. Despite the hurtful words and negative comments, they were determined to rise above it and not let it affect them in a negative way.
Despite the hurtful comments, Angelica’s family instilled in her the importance of self-love and acceptance.
To make her daughter feel better and more comfortable in her own skin, Marianna decided to paint her own face with a similar birthmark resembling Angelica’s. She got the idea from vascular birthmark awareness day, where people are encouraged to paint a heart on their cheeks to raise awareness. Initially, Marianna painted a heart on her own face, but then she went all out and painted Angelica’s port wine stain as well.
Despite attempts by some to offer consolation by suggesting that Angelica’s birthmark would fade away or could be concealed with makeup in the future, Marianna felt even more crushed by the thought that her daughter may be forced to hide her natural beauty instead of embracing it.
This reminded her that society often imposes certain beauty standards that dictate what is considered acceptable or desirable, and anyone who doesn’t conform to these norms may face discrimination and ridicule.
Angelica’s family has always encouraged her to love and accept herself just the way she is. Marianna even went to the extent of covering Angelica’s port wine stain with glitter to make it shine bright.
Marianna also mentioned that they have conducted tests and Angelica is completely healthy, which is a relief as children with these types of birthmarks may develop other health conditions. However, they still need to have regular check-ups, especially for her eyes, as glaucoma can be a concern.