Patricia Williams took a sweet picture of her son Redd when he was born. But when she tried to share it, she faced a problem.
Redd, born in 2012, had white hair from the start. But it wasn’t until he was two months old that his parents noticed something odd about his eyes—they moved from side to side.
When Patricia’s husband Dale looked into it, they discovered it could be a sign of albinism. They consulted experts who confirmed that Redd had Oculocutaneous Albinism Type 1 (OCA1), a rare condition affecting 1 in 17,000 people worldwide.
Patricia remembers the excitement at the hospital when Redd was born, but she didn’t realize anything was different until later. His hair was strikingly white, and his eyes would always follow her.
After his younger brother Rockwell was born in 2018 with the same condition, Patricia and Dale faced more challenges. Rockwell’s pictures were shared online, and he became the target of hurtful memes and bullying at school.
To fight against this, Patricia and Dale decided to raise awareness about albinism. Patricia was worried about how her sons would be treated and how their family life might change.
Despite the struggles, they decided to embrace their sons’ differences and not let them wear eye patches, which might draw more attention. Redd had surgery to help his eyes, and both boys did well in school and in life.
Patricia became a voice for albinism awareness, as many people didn’t know much about it beyond what they saw in movies. She saw it as an opportunity to educate others.
Now, both Redd and Rockwell are thriving, and despite initial challenges, they are just like any other kids, enjoying life and getting support from their community.
