By Rebecca Drew
MEET the stunning young woman who is celebrating her beautiful body, covered from head-to-toe in birthmarks, after her father tried to hide her away as a child.
Student and keen ballet dancer, Maria Isabel Olivieri (22), from Palma de Mallorca, Spain was born without any birthmarks but within minutes freckles began to appear all over her skin.
Growing up, Maria’s father blamed her mother for her being born like this and tried to hide her away from society. Although she has now learnt to love her birthmarks, Maria has undergone 40 operations to remove the marks on the back of her legs which caused her mobility problems but thanks to ballet she is now fully able.
Maria’s birthmarks capture people’s attention wherever she goes and her friends say they feel like they’re famous when they’re together.
“My father blamed my mother for being born like this and was always hiding me, I felt ashamed,” she said.
“My childhood was very hard, I spent every vacation of the year in hospital until I was thirteen. I had a giant piece from my knee to my back that prevented me total mobility, I was operated on and thanks to the ballet I am what you see today.
“I feel good about myself, coping with my daily life is not easy for people who often receive unpleasant looks and questions, but I do not complain, I am aware at all times that there are people in worse situations and I have to feel lucky.
“People’s reactions are always quite different but I always catch their attention wherever I go, my friends say they feel famous when they’re with me but they will also stand up to rude people for me.”
Maria has never counted her birthmarks and says she will never complain about her situation as she believes there are people who are worse off than her.
“It’s important to value those who are different and to understand that staying at home is not the solution because nobody will live for you,” she added.
“I am always aware that there are people in worse situations and I have to feel lucky.
“We must appreciate that we are alive, we have two legs and two arms and we have total mobility.
“The conclusion I have reached is that no matter what people will always look at you for something, if you’re too tall, short, fat or thin, so I looked in the mirror once and decided I would be glad for people looking at me.
“I’m glad because I know that if they were in my place, few would go out on the street, I see in their looks of curiosity that deep down they admire me.”
For more information see https://www.instagram.com/isaolivieriii/
