A woman in Janesville, Wisconsin, mother to a young, terminally ill son, showed the outfit that the young boy will wear in his casket. While shocking and blunt at first, she did so because she remains hopeful that her son will survive, outgrowing the outfit. Despite his illness, she refuses to give up.
Feeling emotional from the get-go, Libra Nieves shared the exact moment in which she opened the package that contained her son’s suit. The boy, Lee, was sitting right next to her, probably not fully aware of the significance of the moment.
“I wasn’t going to open this because I don’t want it to be real,” the Wisconsin woman said. “I ordered this suit. Someone had suggested to me that I go ahead and open it and allow him to wear it outside the house, and create memories in the suit. That’s what we’re gonna do.”
Libra opened the package, with tears running down her cheeks. She took the suit out of the packaging and broke down, knowing what the outfit’s purpose was. Lee helped her get the suit out of its plastic bag, and while he played with it, Libra showed the beautiful blue suit.
“We’re gonna wear it and hope that he can wear it until it doesn’t fit anymore,” she added. Libra then hugged her son in a very touching moment.
Lee’s Illness Explained, Reactions
Lee suffers from Norrie disease, a genetic disorder that causes blindness at birth and might also lead to hearing loss, behavioral changes, and developmental delays, as per the Cleveland Clinic.
While it isn’t typically considered a terminal illness, something Libra mentioned, she explained in a follow-up clip that Lee has one of the rarest forms of Norrie disease.
According to her, the Wisconsin boy suffers from seizures, cataplexy, and central sleep apnea. Sometimes, these manifest at once, leaving Lee limp and unable to breathe, Libra added.
Knowing fully well about her son’s prognosis, Libra is thankful that Lee has been able to survive as long as he has, defying expectations. Then, in another follow-up clip, she wrote, “Just because I bought the suit doesn’t mean I gave up on trying to save him.”
Libra’s first clip went viral, garnering 5.1 million views, more than 316,000 likes, and 3,000 comments. While some users criticized her for showing her son’s suit, others understood where she was coming from, wishing for young Lee to outgrow it.
“He will outgrow this suit!” one user wrote. Another person commented, “You’ll have more memories of him wearing it out and about than anything else.” A third netizen added, “He’s a blessing, hold him close. I will pray for your sweet boy and strength for your family during this time.”
