Paralympian shamed for using disabled spot
A double amputee Paralympian has shared the moment a stranger sneered in disgust when she parked in a disabled car space.
Jessica Long, 28, revealed the incident in a TikTok video that has received over 4.2 million views.
"I was never bullied as a kid and I didn't know that I was going to be bullied by adults because I park in handicap [spot]," the American athlete shared.
Long said a woman had given her a disgusted look for parking in the disabled-only spot, before telling her she shouldn’t be allowed to use it.
"So, it just happened again. I was parking my car — and I hope she sees this — this woman just has the nerve to look me up and down disgusted that I parked in the handicapped spot," the Maryland local explained.
"She just kind of rolled down her window and proceeded to be like, 'You shouldn't park there.'"
Long said she informed the woman she was an amputee, saying, "I don't have legs!"
"That's why I'm parked in the handicapped [space]. That's why I have the handicapped pass. And she kind of just drove off."
The athlete ended her video with a message for "all the handicap police out there".
"Just be kind. You don't need to know why someone is parked in handicapped."
Long was born missing bones in her lower legs as a result of a birth defect called fibular hemimelia.
She told Buzzfeed her adoptive parents had her undergo an operation to amputate her legs when she was 18 months old so she "could be fitted with prosthetic legs and learn to walk."
Long has endured more than 25 surgeries, but found a new redemption in swimming.
Long has gone on to win 13 Paralympic gold medals for swimming and has competed in four Paralympic Games.
Long said the incident with the woman was not an isolated situation, and says she gets "two to four comments" per week about her normal routine.
"I've had people yell at me, leave notes on my windshield, knock on my car window, or wait for me to get out of my car just to tell me I can't park there," she said.
Long told BuzzFeed people like to assume she doesn't "look handicapped."
"I've been through more surgeries than I can count. My whole life I've had to adapt. I rely on my handicap pass," she said.
"I'm open to explaining why I use my pass if someone asks, but I don't understand blatant rudeness, especially based on assumption.
“I am always try to be kind and give people the benefit of the doubt first, and I hope more people will choose that as their first response."