Born with a rare genetic disease that gives her an aged appearance and prevents her from gaining weight, 27 year-old Lizzie Velasquez has turned the heartbreak of bullying into a source of inspiration and motivation for thousands.

Today.com is reporting on Lizzie’s story, which began 27 years ago when she was born with neonatal progeroid syndrome. The rare condition is characterized by an aged appearance at birth as well as feeding difficulties, distinctive craniofacial features and mild to severe intellectual disabilities. She also suffers from lipodystrophy which prevents her body from depositing any adipose tissue.

Thankfully, she was born into a family who loved her unconditionally and never felt as if there was anything wrong with her – until she went to kindergarten and all the children were afraid of her.

“I couldn’t process it. I wasn’t doing anything to them, so why was it happening to me? And I didn’t dare tell anyone.”

But finally she did confide in her parents who quickly told her, “There is nothing wrong with you, you are just smaller than the other kids. You are beautiful and smart and can accomplish anything.”

Lizzie credits her parents for giving her an incredible foundation and strong faith in herself, even in the face of so many unknowns.

As she grew older, they all realized that her syndrome wasn’t going away.

“It was a hard pill to swallow,” she admitted. “I wanted to look like everyone else and blend in, and I couldn’t find a way to make that happen. I couldn’t blame the doctors or my parents, so I blamed myself.”

Believe it or not, things got better for her in high school where she tried out for cheerleading and “felt like a superhero” every time she wore the uniform around school. “I was more myself around my peers, the version of myself around my family,” she said.

But that all changed one day when she was 17 years old and she was browsing through YouTube looking for music. To her horror, she found a video of herself – with over four million views – depicting her as the ugliest woman in the world. The comments accompanying the video were about how the world would be a better place if she killed herself.

“I read every single comment thinking there would be one person to stand up for me. Not one person said, ‘She’s a child, leave her alone,’ or ‘You don’t know her story, why she looks like that.’ I felt like someone was putting a fist through the computer screen and physically punching me. I bawled my eyes out.”

The episode put her into a very dark place. “It made me feel awful, I think if anyone were to put themselves in my shoes the moment I found that video, and reading all the comments, I think you’d instantly know how I felt. It was horrible, I was upset, I was angry, and I didn’t know how I was going to pick myself back up from it.”

But pick herself up she did.

“I didn’t want to retaliate — it was a waste of time. I just wanted to prove them wrong. I realized I could use it for the greater good. I went to college, became a motivational speaker and wrote a book.”

She did a TEDx talk in Austin in 2013 that went viral and before long, she was approached by a producer to make a documentary about her life and inspiring message. The documentary, entitled A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story debuted in September, 2015.

According to the Daily Mail, Lizzie recently encountered another spate of cruel memes about herself on the internet and felt prompted to speak out online.

“I’m writing this post not as someone who is a victim but as someone who is using their voice,” she wrote on Instagram. “No matter what we look like or what size we are, at the end of the day we are all human. I ask that you keep that in mind the next time you see a viral meme of a random stranger. At the time you might find it hilarious but the human in the photo is probably feeling the exact opposite.”

Her Instagram was instantly flooded with messages of support from admirers around the world who wasted no time coming to her defense.

“You are a star. A sparkling, twinkling, beautiful star,” one member wrote. “Don’t let anyone get you down. You’re worth more,” another wrote.

Lizzie has devoted herself to the fight against bullying and recently joined Tumblr’s “Post It Forward” campaign because it is so in line with everything she stands for. “Take the high road and show compassion for others; encourage others to share their stories and remind them they are not alone,” she said about the campaign. “It’s a hub for users to feel safe enough to post what they are personally dealing with. I am honored to partner with them — their heart is in the right place.”

She believes in herself and her message, but she still has down days.

“I allow myself sad days to be alone and close the blinds and listen to sad music like Adele and cry, eat junk food and have a pity party. I let it out of my system for one day, but the sun comes out the next day I have the power to go on.”

Lizzie refuses to let negatives define her and is determined to fight on, knowing that her health is precarious.

“I have a weak immune system and if I am on the go for weeks straight and don’t have a full day to recover, it hits me pretty hard. The doctors say I have to take care of myself first to help others.”

Yes, awful things have happened to her, “but I am still here smiling and happy. I am so grateful that what I have been through has given me the opportunity to be a voice for so many people.”

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