A son is so ashamed of his mother’s physical appearance that he hides her from the world and refuses to allow her to go to her graduation.
Most people didn’t know that Danilo Rodríguez had a mother. When his friends talked about their parents, he kept quiet. He never invited any of his friends to play video games or watch a movie at home.
In fact, from elementary school to his last year of high school, no one ever set foot in Danilo’s house. When he started dating a girl, he told her: “Look, baby, my mother is very religious, she won’t let me go out…”, but everything was a big lie so as not to have to introduce her.
Image for illustrative purposes. | Photo: Unsplash
Image for illustrative purposes. | Photo: Unsplash
The truth was that Danilo was ashamed of his mother. She didn’t want people to know that she was “weird”, like a character out of a horror movie. Danilo’s mother had only one eye and the left side of her face were pure scars. I didn’t know why he looked like that and never asked.
Gail Rodríguez had been like this since Danilo could remember. When he was little, he hadn’t even noticed his physical appearance: it was just his mother, but as he grew up, he saw how people reacted to her.
His mom wasn’t like the other people. The first day he went to school he noticed how the other mothers shivered even though Gail wore huge dark glasses and a hat.
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“I don’t want you to take me to the school door, mom!” he told her that night. “I can enter on my own.”
“But, honey, all the other mothers take their children to class… And you’re still small!” said Gail.
“You’re weird!” Danilo shouted. “I’ve heard Roberto’s mother say it and now everyone will say that I’m also a weirdo!”
Image for illustrative purposes. | Photo: Pexels
Image for illustrative purposes. | Photo: Pexels
Gail didn’t re-enter the school. He left Danilo and left, with tears falling on his right cheek. Her son was ashamed of her and that broke her heart.
As for Danilo, it was fine as long as Gail stayed out of her public life: she pretended to be a recluse, a religious fanatic, anything that prevented people from knowing the truth.
When graduation arrived, Danilo found himself in a dilemma. He had been named the best student. “Well, friend, I hope we finally meet your mother! I want to congratulate you personally!” said the director.
His mother? Danilo couldn’t bring his mother to graduation! Everyone would know. But what could I do? That night, he found an agency that represented actors hired one.
The actress he chose was the perfect image of the woman he had always wanted to be his mother. Pretty, with a friendly face, no scars. Danilo carefully instructed the woman on how she should dress and what she should say, and arranged for her to pick him up at her house.
When Gail saw Danilo in his graduation toga, he said, “Danilo! Is it today? Oh, give me time to get dressed!”
Image for illustrative purposes. | Photo: Unsplash
Image for illustrative purposes. | Photo: Unsplash
“Dress? “For what?” Danilo asked.
“To go to your graduation, honey!” Gail replied.
“You’re not going!” Danilo told him coldly. “I’ve spent my whole life hiding from you, do you think I want you on the most important day of my life, showing your ugly face?”
Read also: Young man inherits his grandparents’ house and kicks out his mother, then repents – Story of the day
Gail’s only eye filled with tears. “Danilo,” he whispered. “How can you be so cruel?”
“Accept it, mom, you’re a weirdo,” he said. “I’ve been ashamed of you all my life. I’ve hired someone to take your place, do you understand now?”
Gail was pale. He nodded his head. “Oh, my son,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry…” But Danilo had turned his back on him and had gone out the door. Two weeks later, he left home to go to college.
Image for illustrative purposes. | Photo: Pexels
Image for illustrative purposes. | Photo: Pexels
Danilo did not contact his mother again, but ten years later he was informed that his mother had passed away. His friends had organized the funeral. She had left Danilo her house and an important heritage.
An important heritage? Danilo was stunned. It is true that his mother had paid for his university education, sending the checks every month, accompanied by letters that Danilo never read, but he never imagined that he would have a lot of money left.
So he flew back home and met with his mother’s lawyer, Luis Arias. “Well, Mr. Rodriguez, your mother left you about 700,000 dollars plus the house, which is estimated to be worth more than 1.5 million dollars…”
“But… I don’t understand! My mother lived a modest life… My father left her I think, and he didn’t give her anything…”, Danilo exclaimed.
“It was the insurance, and the compensation, of course,” Arias said. “Are you sure you know about that?”
“No!” said Danilo puzzled. “What are you talking about?”
Image for illustrative purposes. | Photo: Unsplash
Image for illustrative purposes. | Photo: Unsplash
“Mr. Rodriguez, when you were three years old you approached a strange dog in the park. When your mother saw him, she threw herself between you and the animal,” Arias explained. “As a result, she was mistreated, blinded and was marked for life.”
“But… it would have been me…” Danilo whispered, his eyes full of tears.
“I have always considered his mother as one of the most courageous and selfless people I have ever met, Mr. Rodriguez, a true heroine,” Arias said softly. “She must have been very proud of her.”
Also read: Daughter left her father with nothing after her grandmother’s death for a good reason – Story of the day
Danilo came out with the lawyer’s last words echoing in his ears. He went to the cemetery, found his mother’s grave and knelt down, with tears on his face.
“Oh mom,” he whispered. “You saved me and I treated you so cruelly… Oh mom, forgive me…”
From that day on, Danilo swore not to hide anything from his past. He found one of the few photos of his mother with the big glasses on to hide the scars and put it on his desk.
Every time he looked at her he remembered her sacrifice and kindness and remembered how selfish and cruel she had been.
Image for illustrative purposes. | Photo: Unsplash
Image for illustrative purposes. | Photo: Unsplash
What can we learn from this story?
Be proud of your mother and your father, regardless of who they are or their physical appearance: Danilo was vain and selfish and treated his mother with contempt because she was disfigured.
Remorse is a burden that is always carried: When Danilo discovered that his mother had disfigured herself by saving him, his cruelty was never forgiven.
