A young mum with cystic fibrosis has shared a note she received from a stranger accusing her of taking a disabled car parking space.
When Toni Parkin returned to her car at The Coffee Club, Nepean Square in Penrith on Saturday, she was shocked to find a rude message on her windscreen from a clearly outraged passer-by.
“You inconsiderate b–ch,” it read.
“How dare you park in disabled parking. One day you may need this spot.”
What the author of the note didn't seem to notice, however, was that Toni's disabled parking permit was on full display, entitling her to that spot.
Angered by the note, the Sydney woman wrote a Facebook post addressing its anonymous author.
"To the ignorant idiot who wrote this, if only you knew my story," she began.
"I guess you could not take the two seconds to note my disabled parking permit.
Listen: "Why do you only have one arm?" Paralympian Jessica Smith shares how she answers all kids' curly questions.
"You obviously saw me get out of my car but yet could not have the balls to approach me."
Toni said she hoped the stranger could be better educated.
"I really hope you learn that disabilities come in all shapes and sizes, hopefully, one day you will not know what is like to need one of these."
Cystic fibrosis is a genetic condition that primarily affects sufferers' lungs and digestive system. People living with the illness are prone to infection and often need to undergo intensive daily physiotherapy to keep on top of it. Lung failure is a major cause of death for someone with CF, according to Cystic Fibrosis Australia.
Mamamia reached out to Toni for comment.
Top Comments
Why do people do this? In what century are they living that they believe being disabled means only having a physical disability? I do realise that there are people who falsely obtain permits but I'm sure they're a minority and writing a note and sticking it on the window and being a vigilante is not going to solve anything.
I once had an elderly man shout at me and tell me I was a disgrace for parking in a disabled spot. My permit was clearly on display and I was struggling to get two kids (one too sick to walk and the other one with a physical disability that required the permit) out of the car at the time. I was about to just pack it all in that day but a woman nearby shouted back at him to mind his own business and held my sick toddler while I got my disabled 5-yo sorted. She told me there is no greater disability than ignorance.
This is terrible ... however it's also lovely to hear that someone was there to back you up and help.