Poor Girl!
Filed under: Wacky, Tacky & True
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
This morning, a 13-year-old British girl named Zara Hartshorn, went on American television to tell her story.
This remarkable girl is still a teenager, but has the face of a middle-aged woman. Zara suffers from a rare condition called lipodystrophy that causes her skin to grow while the fatty tissue underneath begins to deteriorate.
Watch her sad, but incredible story above.
Kiwi's Go Cuckoo For AC/DC!!!
i can't imagine choosing to bring children into the world when I knew that I carried a genetic disorder. Call me cruel, but I would have adopted.
Couldn't the mother have adopted? I always see this. people with horrible diseases and they still have children that will have to suffer a lifetime of pain.
it's crazy, her eyes are young and beautiful.
Big deal. Move on with like already. Her mother should have known better and not have had kids. That is so irresponsible. That is why we have abortions.
Does Anne Hathaway suffer from this too? she looks like a young horse so her condition must be called something similar.
to the people saying she shouldn't have had children: that was my first thought too - but it may not have been known to be a genetic disease then or maybe she didn't have money to be diagnosed by doctors - or maybe she wasn't educated enough to be on birth control -
Re: kathie! – shut the fuck up. anne hathaway is beautiful!!
why'd she keep having kids??
that mom is so stupid.
I know this sounds bad, but can't a doctor just give her some pro bono botox?
@joshbyjosh89 — thats what i was thinking, botox!
Such a brave young girl, I really feel for her and hope she gets all the help she needs.
I saw the video now and feel bad about my prior insensitive comment (Anne Hathaway comment) Made it without watching the video.
Can't believe people are suggesting that her mom should have given her up for adoption or not had kids.
Besides public ridicule and low self esteem because of how she looks she is otherwise healthy. If people could treat her with respect, she would be fine once she accepted her inner beauty.
Why rob her mom of a chance to have healthy kids who look older if society could be educated?
Just because she looks old does not mean she does not have greatness to offer the world. Some people are so superficial.
People who have kids with disabilities don't love them less.
:(
*tear*
Re: dssdsd –
Anne Hathaway is disgusting. Please get with reality! Not a gorgeous leading lady. Her features are too big for her face.
Re: dssdsd – i know seriously.. and no offense to her but how could the mom get that many guys to have kids? if i had a disease like that i wouldnt have kids…
Re: jmb594 – but she had 7 kids so she could have stopped after the first one to have the disease…
I hope some company sees this on your site and offers free cosmetic surgery to this family. the company would get great coverage for it and it would be helping out someone a lot. I bet they could even inject more fat into their faces and it would make a huge difference. I really hope this exposure brings this family some options.
That's really unbelievable how some idiots here are saying she shouldn't have kids. That's not for you to judge. She didn't think the condition was hereditary and it's hard to adopt. Why stop at her? I can't stand people who have ADD - it's impossible to talk to them. Let's sterilize them all. They shouldn't have kids either b/c ADD is hereditary. And what about those HIV inffested people in Africa who are poor and have 8 kids each. Sterlize those overpopulators. Their babies are sick and defective too. Isn't it typical that the Perez audience thinks if you don't look young and pretty you don't deserve to live. What happens when you superficial losers get old? Euthanasia?
Poor girl. This makes me feel like an idiot for hating when people think im 5 years younger than I am. I'll be more appreciative from now on!!
God, poor girl.
There has to be a kind heart plastic surgeon out there somewhere.
Help this little one for christ's sake. It's bad enough she has a fucked up mother.
soo crazy
Re: TheMrsBradPitt – No, you're right..She said she felt guilty for doing it but she had multiple partners. Skanking around making a bunch a babies. Selfish mother.
i can't believe how unbelievably selfish the mother is. if she wanted to be a mother she should have adopted.
Re: kathie! – I disagree w/you on the Anne Hathaway comment, but totally agree with your subsequent comment about people being superficial!
ifi was the mom, i wouldn't have had children. but zara is actually really pretty despite her sickness.
Re: kathie! – Re: Pinkasaurus – Kathie, I agree with you on BOTH your superficial comment and your Anne Hathaway comment.
She continued to have children despite knowing at some point in time that there was a serious risk of her kids having this condition. Moreover, she had too many kids in the first place, considering she's receiving government assistance and all.
It's also quite sad that Zara's dad isn't involved in her life. That mom really know how to pick 'em, doesn't she?
Poor girl. Hope a plastic surgeon saw that and is willing to donate their services to that family.
what guy in his right mind would touch her mom…like omg nasty for her to have kids
Perez: sometimes comments need to be turned off. No one needs to be reminded that their mother is a whore or that they should have been aborted. I hope this young girl and her siblings don't read this story but chances are they do. Maybe you should just pay for their cosmetic surgery and focus on bashing celebs instead of trying to help where you're not helpful.
Zara is beautiful.
If this mother knew of all the hardships that would come out of having this condition, why did she procreate? That's really irresponsible. Poor girl
besides the incredibly sad story..
i lol'ed at the subtitles. were they really necessary?
Re: Dave Letterman - staff fucker –
I think it's unbelievable that you would call people idiots for not wanting kids to grow up with an untreatable condition and extremely low self-esteem. The video said the family even lives on benefits. That woman can't even afford to have so many kids. Face it; it was selfish for this woman to have kids. Having kids is a privilege, not a right. I wish more people would realize that. I feel terrible for that woman's kids. If I had lipodystrophy I would never have biological kids. It has nothing to do with being superficial. It has to do with wanting healthy and happy kids.
This lipodystrophy must be the same affliction that Linseed Lohan has. Her ugly wrinkled withered face looks like a puddle of dog vomit.
Re: ZestyFuzz –
I totally agree with you
Well considering that she is 13…why on earth would you talk about aborting her. Thats so stupid. She is a person, with a heart, who may read these comments…
Be careful people what you say about people and there children, some day, you may have child who isnt as perfect as you may expect…
You can see the young girl behind her eyes.
So sad.
Her mom and herself can go to a dermatologist !!
I hope she comes to realize that it's the people who say absurd and cruel comments that are ugly, and (absolutely) not her. In fact, I can tell she's far more beautiful than half of you just based on some of your comments.
"Youth is beauty, money is beauty. Hell, beauty is beauty sometimes. It's the luck of the draw, it's the natural law. It's a joke. It's a crime" - Ani Difranco
Re: ZestyFuzz – Oh for God's sake, the child is already born. How can you be so heartless? It's irresponsible for a single woman to have seven kids from multiple partners. The reason she did so was b/c she herself was all messed up from dealing with heartless and superficial people like you. So she thought she'd surround herself with her own kids who would love her no matter if she looked the way she did. Zara is healthy - she just looks older than her years. God forbid you have some genetic problem that you pass on to your kids. Social services should step in and take them away from you.
I think she's beautiful!
why the fuck do americans need to subtitle just because of different accents? clearly the censorship board in the US has very very little faith in the intelligence of the citizens there…
You people are absurd. To suggest that her mother never have children because they might not be "perfect", or that she should abort rather than offering LIFE is disgusting and really a sad commentary on your soul and intellect. Life is hard enough as a teenager, let alone when you have a disease and people say cruel and insensitive things about you without even considering how deeply they my cut. I think Zara is beautiful and brave. I have no doubt that life will hold many positive surprises and joys for her.
First of all, if any of you haters had a disfiguring disease I am positive that you would still want the same chance to bear children. Secondly adoption is almost 60 000 and you need a spouse to be considered. Thirdly im sure most of you are whores, it does take one to know one. Just because shes slept with different men doesnt make her any different than anyone who views this site. Everyone should be ashamed to judge anyone about something they cant control, Im suprised no one is offering to donate money for her cause. and PS for everyone who are pro-abortion because she has a genetic disorder you shoulda been aborted or sterilized for being F*ucking idiots.. America is already filled with enough to go around
Seriously, knowing that lipodystrophy is a genetic disorder, the mother shouldn't have given birth. And the ironic thing is that she even remembers the pain she had to go through as a child, why bring another miserable child with the same condition to life?
And for christ sake, this isn't the third world country where everyone is clueless about birth control… If you can't afford birth control and you don't want to have a child, then don't have sex… It's not going to kill you.
Just awful.. poor thing
Poor girl!
It's too late to say her mum should have adopted because she didn't. I think it's amazing that she has such good friends that accept her for who she is.
Girl power
the 13 year old is clearly very unhappy, but at 13 most of us are lol, anyways this is very sad and i wouldn't wish this on anyone, we all have it hard enough, no one really wants an additional reason to be made fun of, but i am going to be honest when i first started watching this vid i thought omg she can go to the club and and bars and they would never id her(thats a least a silver lining). but me personally if i had this and i was thinking about having kids i would adapt and if i couldn't afford it then i would have to focus on myself not adding children to my life. i hope this girl the best
Re: Dave Letterman - staff fucker – even though the girl is healthy, she will be judged and will never have a normal life. is that what you wish for your child? She could've adopted seven kids to make herself less lonely. You said herself that she probably struggled with "heartless superficial people", then it will be the same for her kids. The world is fucked up, face it, the kids will have self esteem problems, will be judged, and wish that they were just like normal 13 year olds.
At least she can get into the bars.
Poor little girl! I think I would have adopted if I thought my children 'might' suffer the cruelness of that disease, just as a lot of others wrote!
Maybe this is what is wrong with Allie Lohan! She really does look like a middle aged woman.
She'll get more friends in high school when they need someone to buy beer and cigs… I wouldve loved to have a friend like her!
who cares about what the mother chose years ago, its a little too late now for blame. With that said, what a strange disease, I've never heard of it before now.
What really bothers me about this is the fact that Heidi Montag and young beautiful woman just had 10 procedures done for no reason…This young girl when she is older is someone who could actually benefit from plastic surgery but wont get it…but Heidi who didn't need it and doesn't need anymore probably will have more anyway!
Why is a 13 yr old wearing so much makeup?
This story pisses me off. It is bad enough these kids are the product of welfare trash, and she has to have the kids by different dads, and ruin her kids lives. This is so selfish of this woman. Who the hell would sleep with the mother and get her pregnant all these times? People who have kids knowing they have an inherited genetic disease, are selfish. Just like the couple in India who have 7 kids and several have progeria (the parents are first cousins who both carry a gene for Progeria).
she is one of those people i wish i knew so i could just hug her and love her. she is an amazing and beautiful person. people who care and know her wont even have a 2nd thought. i feel she will be accepted more then she thinks. she is a true BEAUTY. skin is only so deep. its the soul that shines bright and she is blinding!!
This is sad but there are others worse off, there are 3 year olds that look like 80 year olds and have the health of an 80 year old…Things like this is why I refuse to believe in god
just because you have a type of disease does not mean you are going to pass it onto your children. Yes it makes the the risk higher but it is not definite and this story is proof of that, the woman has children with the disease and children without it. Two mentally retarded people could have a baby and the baby could be born totally fine. A little couple can have kids and there kids could all turn out normal size. It is just like those who have kids with diseases or disorders when none in the family has that disease or disorder. My dads cousin has 3 kids by a man who had aids, her and 3children are fine but one or more of her kids could have ended up with it. Now of course she did not know he had it, they met when she was caring for his dying wife who she thought had cancer, it took her like 10 years to find out the truth and during those 10 years she did not catch aids and that is a miracle for her and her kids
OMG I was in total shock. Poor, poor little girl.
And i hate to say it but her mother is just stupid. She shouldn't have had more kids knowing they could inheritate the genetic disease and have a life of suffering.
Everyone saying the mother was selfish. She did say she was self destructive with men and more so, I don't think she even considered the genetics at play.
It bothers me that a lot of celebs / non-celebs (Heidi for eg) who can afford surgery get it for themselves when they don't need it at all. meanwhile there are people in teh world who do need it but they don't have enough money for it .
So sad
Her Mother was probably treated like shit when she was young and so it continues…who knows why she went on to have so many kids knowing of her condition. This poor girl has a high probability of living the very life her mother is living now and then everyone will be bashing her. Sad to imagine, but highly probable. I cannot imagine the emotional and psychological pain she must be in and to think she could hear or read what is being said about her and her mother. Why, oh why do we continue to kick people when they are already down!?
I admire people like her and it really puts life in prospective.
Re: tom951 – SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU PIECE OF SHIT LIBERAL!!!! EVERYONE DESERVES A CHANCE AT LIFE YOU SOUL-LESS FUCK FAT PIECE OF SHIT!!!
Here are the 2 things I've learned from everyone's comments:
1. I should have been aborted because diabetes runs in my family and it was wrong for my parents to allow this, potential, suffering to transpire in my life.
2. Only rich people can have kids.
Wow, with all of your excellent ideas, I'm really amazed that there our still problems in our world. I'd suggest writing your local figurehead and share these problem solving ideas with them. I'm sure they'd love to implement them ASAP.
Wow! Girls her age already go through so much when it comes to self esteem. I hope she finds self confidence and does not repeat the same mistakes her mother did with the string of bad relationships.
Re: kathie! – Nicely said. Thanks.
oh i feel so sad for this girl i hope shes happy and living a good life
I too have lipodystrophy. There wasn't a family history of this disease but by some genetic change I developed this disease.
Almost every one of us hold some genetic mutation that can cause any number of different diseases in our possible offspring. There is a good chance that you won't pass on any inherited diseases to your children, but there is a chance of passing on a genetic disease to any children that we have, whether you know of the mutation you have or not!
I will have my own children one day - it is NOT irresponsible of me to have them.
What is terrible is for people to stand back and criticize people when you have no idea what you are talking about.
When I was young I was bullied and I was upset that I was "cursed" with this - yet now that I am older I realise that I was put here to teach others that through faith, love and understanding - Tolerance in this world can be achieved.
We all have a message. Each life is important.
You should all know that you how life affects what genetic DNA information you pass on to your children and grandchildren. If you are out doing different drugs, that alters your genetic code, and one day your kids or grandkids, or great-grandkids could be affected because of what you have done to yourself.
Your body is not only yours but the future imprint of future generations.
Also, lipodystrophy affects such a large area it is not possible to get plastic surgery. I have already looked into it, before I came to terms with the fact that I am proud of who I am - maybe I look different but that makes me unique!
ok this is very sad. But what the hell is up with the subtitles. They're from britain… they're not speaking a foreign language
I feel for the girl i do but i totally agree her mum should not hav had children if she knew the illness could be passed on and if she knew herself how hard is to fit in with people.
The other think is why has this woman got 7 kids and living on benefits?? get a fucking job! this is why this country pisses me off there is no reason this woman cant work and thats probably why she has 7 kids for more money!
This is really sad. I also really hope that there is a plastic surgeon out there willing to help this girl. If your thirteen you have your whole live ahead and boys will soon come in the picture. This must be horrible for her.
Wow, wether there is any cause or not to believe her mother is a proper parent is not for the general public to determine. Lots of people who had kids when they were financially stable are now eating on food stamps. But to suggest she should have aborted based on a skin disorder alone… because you don't think the girl should suffer? I didn't hear anywhere in the video that it caused any other kind of harm. It isn't aging her internal organs, it strictly affects the condition of her skin. How many people have acne as a teen? That could be considered an embarrassing skin disfigurement! And surely it could lead to depression and not wanting to leave your house… it could stay with you your whole life. So I guess anyone who ever had acne should get their tubes tied, right?! STUPID. None of us would be happy to have this condition, but I cannot imagine anyone with a child suggesting such a thing, and if someone would say such a thing as a parent, think twice… maybe your kid is not such a beauty queen either. There are plenty of unattractive kids out there, bad skin or otherwise.
And sorry but a pro bono case for something purely cosmetic would not be right… because of boys coming into the picture? Where are all the pro bono boob jobs for all of the flat chested 13 year olds? Lets stop getting over the top. Its sad, yes… but she is not terminal.
That is so sad.
… and I hate to say it, but this is why we NEED stem cell research (not because of the abortion part, but because it can be used to treat her condition)
this is so sad, i hope someone support her and pay for the plastic surgery, :/
I love how they subtitle that girls nasty accent.
Regardless of her mother's decision to have kids, this young girl is having to live with this disease. I somehow don't believe botox or injectible fillers are going to help much. I'm a middle age woman and there is no amount of filler or botox that can make me look 13 again. The best cosmetic treatment for this girl would be sewing together the lips of the cruel little bastards who tease her.
Re: uktaters – YOU STUPID GRANNY FREAK DONT YOU DARE HAVE CHILDREN. THE LAST THING THE WORLD NEEDS IS MORE WEIRDOS LIKE YOU AND THAT ZARA BITCH.
DONT FEEL SORRY!!! WHEN PARENTS HAVE FUCKED KIDS IT IS BECAUSE THEY DID SOMETHING BAD AND GOD IS PUNISHING THEM. LIKE MAYBE THE DAD OR MOM WAS A SERIAL KILLER, BURGLAR OR A GAY
If more people in the world would pay for some cosmetic surgery then dr's like my daddy could afford to go do free facial reconstructions for girls like her more often!
Go buy boobies everyone!
sounds like a lot of you folks follow "EUGENICS"
read up. If you really feel that way then follow through and join
the cause. Is reproduction truly a privilege?
the mum in this story had a interview done for uk tv, and what she doesnt say in the US interview is that the mum has had a facelift!!! knowing that her 3 children with this disease are deeply unhappy and SHE has a facelift in her mid 40s, i think that is totally selfish, she should be helping her kids live happy lives
She didn't have a bunch of kids because she was just dying to have kids. She was obviously hoping that one of those men would marry and support her and that she would finally have something stable in her life.
wow! poor kid! why did the mother have 7 kids & 3 of them have the disease. ugh.
this poor kid is 13 yr old! she looks 47 and i feel so bad for her! my daughter is 12yr old & i can't imagine if she was ill. poor baby, sad that the bus driver will not believe shes' just a kid! i bet strangers treat her like an adult and she gets upset because she's just a little girl!
geez, how stupid do you have to be to need subtitles for a mancunian accent!!!!
Re: uktaters – oh, i'm so sorry! I hope you are doing good. Do Not listen to others who are negative. I wish you the best. Live life to the fullest! Remember 3 important things- LIVE, LOVE, & LAUGH !!!!!!!!!!!
completely unfair of a mother who must have known she had the condition, to bring children into the world. especially after the first one was born with it. If you want children that badly, adopt. Genetic disorders like this could be wiped out if people had more sense.
Oh goodie, thanks for the English subtitles, NBC. How else would native speakers of English understand someone speaking in….er…English?
I'm pro-choice but I cannot beleive all you people who are basically advocating eugenics. Jesus Christ.
Heidi Montag should see this and pay 4 that girl surgery, this girl really needs it.
All of fake celebrity's should help this girls.
wait , the mom is forty and already has seven kids?
Don't you think with these disease, she would've STOPPED after about one or two?
she's a jackass.
sad very sad—- u have money perez.. u have had plastic done…so I read*… ur always dissing others… go and help this gurl out. I am amazed that u have not made fun of her… did u have a heart transplant.
Sad part is yes the mom should have known but the child is the one paying the dues..
Wow. The world is a tough enough place for a 13 year old girl with all those emotions and hormones but something like this would be one of the most horrible things that could happen to a girl that age
this mother is sick, how can she bring so many children with her disease.. she should have had adopted a few.
Perez, u should start a charity fund for her on your site for cosmetic surgery. u have sooo many followers and u could help make a BIG difference in her life. Poor girl!!
Perez, u should start a charity fund for cosmetic surgery for her on your site…you have sooo many followers and you could make a BIG difference in her life. POOR GIRL!!!