Cheri Lindsay (CL) and Phillip Lindsay (PL)
CL: It started around my eyes and it literally grew out like a mask. And I remember calling and saying, ”You know Dad, my, uh, vitiligo is moving kind of fast.”
PL: Well, I was shocked because I had asked doctors if any of my kids would have vitiligo, and they said, ”Probably not. It usually skips a generation.” So, when I found out that you had it, I was scared for you.
CL: It was easy for me to deal with because of seeing you deal with it. Like I’ve never seen you without vitiligo and so it’s like that’s normal. That’s my dad.
PL: I have five kids and when I had to take you guys out and about, you guys wanted to protect me.
CL: Ready to fight…
PL: Ok, yeah. Anything anyone did or said, you guys were just like, ”Hey, watch yourself.” And so I had to ease you guys’ mind and let you understand that I was okay. I didn’t need the protection.
CL: I know for me, I get stared at like crazy.
PL: Well I noticed kids like to touch me. How do they react to you?
CL: Man, there was a point I would avoid kids in the store. If a kid was coming down the aisle, I’m like, ”I don’t need no bread.” But, I did something one time. I was at Walmart, and I’m walking down the aisle and this little boy–he had to be about 5 or 6–he was just staring at me. He looked so freaked out. But I stopped and I said, ”You wanna know why I look like this?” And he was like, ”Yeah.” And I said, ”Because I was staring at somebody in Walmart.” (Laughs) And I told his mom, I was like, ”I’m just kidding with him.”
PL: Well Cheri. You know, you’re a very beautiful woman and you keep your head up and you just, and you walk on. And I couldn’t be more proud of you for the way you handle yourself, really. My chest goes out for you.