Moving forward and trying to fit in as much as possible are the keys to success in today’s environment. Because if you don’t fit in or are a little different from other people, you are perceived as “abnormal” or “odd.”
It’s a gloomy outlook on life that places much too much emphasis on appearance and peer comparison.
As a human person with the same flesh and blood as the rest of us, Jono Lancaster has unfortunately been painfully reminded of how cruel the world can be on many occasions.
Despite being born in England in October 1985, Jono Lancaster was not like the other newborns that were admitted to the hospital.
The cute newborn boy’s uneven facial bone development was caused by an uncommon prenatal condition called Treacher Collins syndrome.
In addition to the diagnosis, the doctors told Jono’s parents that he would likely never walk or speak. Stunned, Jono’s parents left him because they felt it was too much.
When I was born, my parents were truly shocked. I was released from the hospital within 36 hours after my birth. Social services assigned someone to take care of me. Jono remembered the foster carer as a woman named Jean at the 2015 Nord Conference.
When Jono was less than two days old, his parents disappeared and put him up for adoption. A beautiful woman named Jean Lancaster adopted and raised Jono after the hospital contacted Social Services.
Jean wasn’t startled or shocked when she saw the little kid. When she took him up, she immediately clicked with him. “Can I bring him home when?” Jean turned to the nurse and inquired.
From the start, Jono’s foster mother gave him all the love and care he needed, and he couldn’t have wished for a better or more devoted mother.
However, Jono’s early years were marked by a lack of understanding from the outside world, even with his mother’s continuous support.
When Jono started school, he started to discover who he was. He quickly came to the realization that he did not resemble his classmates.
The feeling that I was alone and that no one else in the world was like me was present. While some people are lucky enough to become doctors, lawyers, or professional football players, I always asked myself, “Why did I have to end up looking like this?” in an interview with Adelaide Now.
It’s important to realize that a child’s IQ is completely unaffected by Treacher Collins syndrome. The only thing his classmates cared about was Jono’s appearance. They would run away and make faces when he came near, saying they didn’t want to have his “disease.”
“I used to hide my unhappiness from my mother.” “She had already done so much for me,” he stated in a BBC interview.
However, Jono was supported by a remarkable woman, and he resisted giving up and letting the haters win.
Jono’s foster mother, Jean, tried to return him to his biological parents. However, after they had been answering her letters for five consecutive years, she took the next step and adopted Jono on May 18, 1990.
So I’ve got two birthdays! “I used to tell other kids that my mom went to the hospital and she looked at all the babies and she chose me, whereas their parents had been stuck with them,” Jono stated at the 2015 Nord Conference.
In a touching Facebook post from 2015, Jono said he will always remember his foster mother.
Despite her little size, this woman has the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever met. This woman is extremely unselfish and compassionate, and she has been caring for foster children for thirty years. Every time a foster child was placed in a new home, this woman would cry because she felt like she had somehow failed them. Despite not knowing what was ahead, this 40-year-old single mother welcomed me. When she adopted me, this mother gave me Claire, Stephen, and an amazing family. This woman came into my life at the perfect time and is a true angel.
The angel’s name is Jean, and she is both my mother and my inspiration.
Jono became an exceptionally disobedient adolescent. Sometimes he did things purely for attention. He used it to deflect criticism from his physical characteristics, which were the real problem. He made an effort to win people over with sweets and a lot of alcohol.
“I thought I was all alone.”
But because of Jean’s love and concern, as well as his own resilient nature, Jono swiftly decided to be a force for good and use his experience to help others.
The 36-year-old Jono has devoted his life to helping others with Treacher Collins syndrome all across the world. He has been in charge of teams for adults with autism.
He talks to their parents about their situation, meets children, and gives them hope and support. Currently employed as a motivational speaker, Jono talks about Treacher Collins disease a lot.
“My parents still don’t want anything to do with me,” he asserts. It works so well because I have a different mindset now. […] I wouldn’t make any changes. Above all, I was incapacitated by my attitude. If you have the right attitude, you can achieve anything.
One of Jono’s mentees is Zackary Walton, a two-year-old Australian.
Despite his youth, Zackary has already been the victim of bullying. But Jono has been his lifetime friend.
“We knew we had to meet him when he said he was coming to Australia, and it’s made us so happy to see Zack meet someone like him,” Sarah Walton, the boy’s mother, told Adelaide Now.
When Jono and Zackary initially bonded in November 2014, this stunning shot was posted on Facebook.
Jono Lancaster’s wife
In 2015, while working as a fitness instructor, Jono met Laura Richardson.
Laura accepted Jono’s condition when they fell in love. The two of them set out to make everyone around them happy and smiling after she accepted him for who he was.
Jono always thought he would adopt children if he ever had any and wanted to start a family before he met Laura.
“I’ve always wanted to be a father. Even though my adopted mother was amazing, I was never raised by a father figure, and I truly miss that. I miss spending time with my father and son. “I want to take my child to dance, gymnastics, football, or the school run—whatever they want,” Jono said to the BBC in 2011.
There is a fifty percent possibility that any child Jono fathers will end up being Treacher Collins. Therefore, the idea of having his own child sparked a wave of emotions, moral quandaries, and self-examination. Despite Jono’s relatively normal delivery, many children with Treacher Collins suffer from severe health problems, and some never breathe.
So, Jono thought, maybe adoption was the best solution.
“Giving a child another chance is fantastic, and it worked really well for me.” Laura, however, thinks she will have a strong desire to conceive and worries that she won’t be able to care for someone else’s child or that the child will want to find out who its biological parents are. Jono went on.
She also really wants our child to be “our” child. I’ll be the one to come downstairs at two in the morning when she needs a pickle or to sit with her on the sofa because I genuinely want to look after her when she becomes pregnant.
Regretfully, Jono and Laura never had children. After ten years together, they decided to split up and go on. On Instagram, Jono shared an explanation of the decision, writing:
“Laura and I decided to split up after 10 amazing years together because we weren’t growing as a couple. It had nothing to do with appearances; there was only respect for one another.
Some of his followers showed compassion and tried to see the positive side of things, telling Jono that a broken relationship may still end happily.
I believe that breakups can never be made to sound positive. It was disastrous,” Jono shot back.
Listen to Jono describe his experience in the video below. I guarantee that it won’t elude you:
Although Jono’s experience was awful, it is also really inspiring to see how he uses his strength and courage to help other children in similar situations.
I genuinely hope we can help spread the word about Jono’s story. Not only to inspire others, but also to give those in need of it hope and confidence. because everyone occasionally needs a little inspiration.
No one should ever have to deal with prejudice, harassment, or criticism because of their appearance! Please share this article if you agree!
