This Brazilian influencer who suffers from a rare disability that left her with deformed legs and hands that do not work properly from a young age says it has never stopped her from being happy and experiencing life to the fullest, with videos of her dancing and giving her daughter a makeover to prove it.
Sarina Araujo, 34, from the city of Itaquaquecetuba, Brazil, suffers from arthrogryposis, which damages the growth of her legs and her ability to move her hands.
She told news site UOL: “I need help with basic everyday activities like cooking and bathing. But this has never stopped me from being a happy person…and experiencing a little of everything in life.”
She regularly updates her 208,000 followers on Instagram with posts about her everyday life and her family.
She has been married since the age of 17 to Marcio after the pair met at Sarina’s mum’s bar.
She said: “I thought he might be scared because of my disability, but on the contrary: he was polite, started talking and wanted to buy me a meal and a drink.”
She added: “Before leaving, he gave me a paper with a landline number (as mobile phones were not so common at the time) and asked me to call him the next day, at noon.”
The two started a relationship and Sarina eventually became pregnant.
She said her pregnancy was a huge surprise as she had assumed that due to her disability, she would never be able to have children. However, she has since had two healthy kids: one boy and one girl.
Five years ago she decided she wanted to become an influencer, but she says that initially, she was afraid that people would make fun of her body, so she only posted videos of her face.
She said: “When I posted my first body shot I realised that this is what people like to see: real life. I lost my fear and started to do dances, to produce happier and more relaxed content, which suits my way of being.”
She added that even though she does receive negative comments and abusive messages she doesn’t plan to give up.
She told UOL: “Unfortunately, I am the target of trolling. In recent times, three accounts have been created on Instagram with a single goal: to call me names.”
She added: “They criticise my appearance, my weight and the fact that I have a disability…but insults will never make me give up on my dreams. If yesterday was a bad day, tomorrow will be a much better day.”
