A touching birthday message posted by Richie Anne Castillo from the city of Cebu in the Philippines has gone viral with over 200,000 likes and 65,000 shares!

She dedicated the post to her Down Syndrome father, writing about her life with him. Richie Anne expressed her pride for being his daughter and the amazing life he has lived despite 'multiple surgeries, a lifetime doing dialysis and a long list of limitations.'

"Doctors are still amazed by it!" she exclaimed in the post.




She said her father never complained, and when he did break down and cry to her, it broke her heart. "I can’t feel your pain but how I wish I could take your place so you wouldn’t have to feel any pain anymore," Richie Anne wrote.

She recollected how, growing up, she was 'picked on and bullied' because her father was 'different'. While she didn't get what was happening at first, eventually she understood.

"But you deserve more than the coward daughter that I am," Richie Anne revealed. "You deserve love, understanding, patience, and acceptance as any individual with Down Syndrome should."




She spoke about how she became absent from her father's life and regrets not spending as much time with him as she should have.

“I’m sorry for not bringing you to the beach more often or I don’t bring you your favourite dim sum food or I don’t visit you more often than I should,” the post read.

Richie Anne is stronger now that she's big enough to 'defend herself from bullies'. Even if he gets mean at times and pushes people away, she feels it's okay.

"It's okay to be different."



Photo Credit: Richie Anne Facebook