A Mother's Powerful Message: My Son Didn't Choose His Rare Condition

Dallas Lynn, from South Carolina, is the proud mother of three-year-old Jameus. A year ago, she wrote a post on social media that went viral, garnering millions of shares, and she's decided to share it again. The event she described captured the attention of shocked and supportive people worldwide.

Jameus battles Hirschsprung's disease — a congenital condition affecting colon functionality, mostly seen in infants and young children. When she posted, Jameus was wearing special bags on his body that helped expel waste through a small incision in his abdomen (a stoma).

Dallas explained that she usually secures the bag to keep Jameus from meddling with it, but was in a rush that day and skipped it. "While we were in the checkout line, I lifted Jameus, and just as I did, his shirt lifted, revealing the bag underneath," she recounted.

A woman in line behind them noticed the bag and began yelling, accusing Dallas of being an 'abusive mother.' "Her harsh reaction left me speechless," Dallas shared. "I turned to her with a pained look and she pointedly asked, 'Why does he have a bag attached to him?' in such a rude manner."

Though no explanation was needed, Dallas felt compelled to clarify to the woman (and now a small crowd that had gathered) what the bag was for. "I told her about Hirschsprung's and that we've had one surgery and are awaiting another, but she continued her tirade...

"Instead of thanking me and moving on, she grimaced and said, 'Oh, that's disgusting. Cover it up. Pull his shirt down.' I was in shock at her response. I wanted to scream, 'What's wrong with you?' But instead, I said, 'Have a nice evening,' and moved to another checkout.

"He Didn't Choose This Rare Disease"

Dallas shared a picture of her son with the bag, along with a heartfelt message: "I'm sharing this now because there's nothing disgusting about my son. His disease may be rare, but he didn't choose it. The stoma allows him to expel waste when the intestines can't function properly. We didn't choose this path, but when Jameus was two weeks old, his colon tore, leaving him with a life-threatening infection that almost killed him. The stoma saved his life.

"Yes, the stoma might be with him for life, and if it is, my role will be to teach him to live happily and positively with it. I need to help him love himself despite any mean-spirited remarks. I can't fathom the cruelty and ignorance of people who don't understand our lack of choice in who we are.

"The woman failed to understand that when my son is well, he'll be no different from any other two-year-old. He'll run, play, swim, and go to preschool instead of being in the hospital for infections. She won't know the pain of his at-home procedures twice daily. The stoma in his abdomen is saving his life. So please, choose your words wisely when you're commenting on something that you don't fully understand. We are, and will continue to, fight for his life, and slowly — my son will triumph."