Mexican-American mom admits she questioned her daughter’s paternity after she was born with white-blonde hair and ivory skin – until the child was diagnosed with albinism
Edith Garcia and her husband Raul were surprised but delighted when they found out they were expecting another baby back in 2013. They already had one gorgeous baby girl Mariah and were excited to welcome another little one into the world.
A Mexican-American mother doubted the paternity of her newborn considering how different she looked.
The baby was born with ivory skin and white-blonde hair, and the parents later learned that it was due to a congenital disorder called Albinism.
33-year-old Edith Garcia is a resident of California. She gave birth to her daughter, Tatiana, in June 2014. Both Garcia and her husband Raul, who is also Mexican-American, were taken aback by their daughter’s appearance at the time of her birth.
‘When Tatiana was born, all I could see was this very fair-skinned baby girl with really blonde hair. I didn’t know what to think,’ Edith said.
She confessed to first thinking her husband, Raul, who is also of Mexican-American descent couldn’t possibly be the father because of how their daughter looked.
‘For a split second, I looked over to my husband and wondered what he did but clearly, it doesn’t work that way. So naturally, I questioned my own decisions,’ Edith said.
Neither Edith nor her husband Raul knew they had an albinism gene in their family
Neither she nor her husband Raul knew they were carrying the albinism gene. Albinism gene being recessive means that people can carry it without being affected themselves and therefore, could even never find out.
Both the adorable girl and her family are learning about her condition as they go
And are trying to raise their daughter as normal as possible
Tatiana was born a day before National Albinism Awareness Day on June 13. Young Tatiana knows that she is special, despite the attention she receives.
Garcia said that her daughter’s special genetic condition has made her eager to raise awareness.
“I have read and seen some very heart-breaking things towards people with albinism and that’s when it clicked,” she said.
Garcia also wants her daughter to feel confident and always know that is special in her unique ways, but still the same.