Emma was only 6-years-old, and, despite her young age, she were to start her seventh round of chemotherapy.
Unfortunately, she has been suffering from a brain tumor.
Emma doesn’t look sick to most of the world, though. Most people can’t tell just by looking at her. But still, her condition makes it hard for her to be mobile without a walker. But that’s okay; her dad Brent Gehring doesn’t mind carrying her around.
Brent knew that carrying around a 6-year-old might not be easy. He knew that watching his little girl and his wife go through such a trying experience wouldn’t be easy either.
What he didn’t expect was for people on the streets to pass judgment on his family instead of minding their own business.
But it did happen when he and his family went out to dinner one night and he shared the story on Facebook which ended up going viral.
“My daughter and I were leaving dinner the other night at Union Oyster House in Boston, MA. A dinner donated to us by an amazing business and friend that has been in our ‘family’ for years,” he explained. “When I crossed the street carrying her, she can’t walk without the use of her walker. A man yelled at me from 30’ away: ‘What the F*+k?’ He yelled. ‘Make her walk. That’s what is wrong with kids today.'”
Ahh, the age-old “that’s what’s wrong with kids today” bit. We hear angry bitter adults making the same tired argument decade after decade.
The same adults who fail to accept that they are the generation responsible for raising the very same kids they are complaining about.
Brent was pretty pissed. Not only is this guy cursing and him and his daughter, but he is also judging his parenting style which is none of his damn business. At this point, Brent had to decide whether to sink down to this guy’s level and beat the crap at him, scream in his face, or teach him a valuable lesson. He chose the latter.
“I had a choice to make at that time. Can I make myself feel better by screaming at him or can I teach him something about life? I won’t lie to you and tell you that it was an easy choice but I got inches from his face, with my daughter in my arms, and quietly asked him if he was referring to my daughter. ‘Hell yes’ he said,” Brent explains in his post.
Let’s just say this guy ended up getting his ass kicked. Not physically, but by the Universe teaching him a lesson he sorely needed to learn.
This is what Brent told the man:
“My daughter has been carrying my faith and my strength for the past 5 years since she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She can’t walk but I am happy to carry her because of all the amazing things she has taught me through the years. So I would advise you not address my daughter in any way other than respectful,” he said.
The two ended up having a good talk that ended with them both crying. I bet that guy didn’t feel so tough hysterically crying in a public parking lot.
“This story is only important if it serves as a reminder that you don’t always know the whole story so don’t judge others,” Brent said.
But Brent says he learned a lesson that day too. He said the situation served as a reminder that “good can come from any situation.”
“This post doesn’t come looking for pity for Emma or my family. What I am asking is for a change in today’s world… a change in the way we think. The world is what we as people make it. We have the power to make days better or worse for others. I choose to attempt to make lives better,” he said.
We’ll bet that Emma learned a great lesson that day too from the wonderful example her father made for her.
Update: “It is with great sadness that we inform you that Emma peacefully passed away surrounded by family and her hospital friends.”
You can read Brent’s full post below.
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