Bullied for Her Smile, This New Zealand Influencer Turned Pain Into Purpose

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News (1 / 1) 06.05.2026 11:01 / Peter

She endured relentless bullying, a failed "smile" surgery and a bleak medical prognosis — yet today she shares a very different life and message online. Read on to discover the full story!

Early years and the diagnosis

Born in New Zealand with Moebius syndrome, she faced facial paralysis that limited movement in her eyebrows and upper lip. As a child she was mocked and physically tormented for not being able to smile.

A painful operation and darker days

At 11 she underwent a procedure that used tissue from her leg in hopes of creating a smile; it failed and intensified the abuse. By 18 she struggled with severe clinical depression and PTSD and experienced as many as nine seizures a day, prompting doctors to doubt she could live independently.