In 2012, Patricia Williams gave birth to her son Redd, who had striking white hair. By two months, she noticed his unusual eye movements. Her husband’s online search led to a surprising discovery: Redd likely had albinism. A medical diagnosis confirmed he had Oculocutaneous Albinism Type 1 (OCA1), a rare condition affecting 1 in 17,000 people worldwide.

Patricia had never heard of albinism before and initially believed Redd would grow out of his traits. But when their second son, Rockwell, was born in 2018 with the same condition, they realized it was lifelong. The family became more knowledgeable and prepared — but they weren’t ready for what happened next.

Rockwell’s newborn photos went viral online, cruelly turned into memes. Redd had already faced bullying for his appearance, and now Rockwell was being mocked too. The parents tried to get the images removed but eventually decided to focus on awareness and advocacy instead.

Patricia began using social media to educate others, especially since many people knew little about albinism. She explained how media portrayals often misrepresent the condition, and she wanted to change that.

Redd later underwent eye surgery for strabismus and transitioned successfully from a school for the visually impaired to a public school. The surgery helped, and with time, other kids saw him as just another child — one who happened to need sun protection.

Both Redd and Rockwell are now thriving. In 2023, a video of Rockwell dressed up for “Western Day” at school went viral, this time for positive reasons. The post was filled with love and admiration.

Patricia also debunked myths, such as the belief that people with albinism have red eyes — in reality, they have very light blue eyes due to lack of pigment.

This family’s story is not only heartwarming, but also inspiring in its message of resilience, awareness, and acceptance.