There are more people on Facebook today than there were on the entire planet just 200 years ago. In a world where news travels faster than it happens, smartphones capture every waking moment of people’s day, and social media literally dictates people’s lives, people are more interconnected in 2017 than ever before.
New things are going viral every day, and the term “15 minutes of fame” has taken on a whole new meaning. (Need I reference Danielle Bregoli—the “Cash me ousside” teen?)
But what about the people whose 15 minutes of fame lead to a lifetime of pain.
Meet Jennifer Wilkinson.
“This is my 15 minutes of fame. If you check sites such as the People of Walmart or Reddit you will most likely find this photo.”
Just about five years ago, this photo was snapped of Jennifer without her permission or knowledge, and is still being used today as a “funny” meme.
But there’s nothing funny about it.
“The worst thing about this photo is that people think a fat woman tipped over a cart because she was too lazy to get out of the cart to get the case of soda.”
Let’s be honest—even if that were the case, we are put on this earth to love each other like Christ loves us, and to lift each other up, not judge someone’s struggle and humiliate them for it.
In a piece she wrote titled “What You Should Know If You Laughed at This Viral Photo of Me,” Jennifer explains that what really happened in this moment was the result of a spinal condition she’s battled for several years—spondylolisthesis.
It essentially causes weakness in her legs, and limits her lower back support, causing this wife and full-time mom to experience chronic pain and a proneness to falling.
Jennifer Knapp Wilkinson
In addition to her spinal condition, Jennifer has battled mental health issues, which she says has led to her obesity. “I have used eating as a way to cope.”