At first she seems like just another model with a captivating smile, the kind that appears on billboards, runways and social media, but Berlange Presilus is far from ordinary.
Born in Haiti, Berlange’s dream of becoming a big supermodel started when she was 12 and had just moved to the US with her family. Although she faced all sorts of obstacles – her biggest being a discovery she made when she was just 11 – she held on to that dream.
Luckily, at age 16, she got discovered by photographers and started her journey to becoming a professional model.
While she strutted the runways and posed for stunning magazine and billboard shots, something stood between her and total fulfillment: her condition – Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome (KTS), one of the world’s rarest diseases that affects the development of blood vessels, soft tissues and bones, causing malformation of the veins and limbs.
For years, she hid behind compression tights and stockings, covering her scars out of shame and fear of being pointed at and mocked. She needed the tights to prevent excessive pain and other discomfort that came with her condition, so she wore them always, covering her legs for so long because she wanted to belong, to look like everyone else.
After being afraid to let people know of her condition for so long, she finally got the courage to show the world who she truly was: a brave soul that has lived through years of pain, depression, suicidal thoughts and has managed to stay strong – a KTS survivor.
Berlange now boldly shows her scars in a bid to encourage others living with the rare condition and any other disease they might feel ashamed of. This acceptance has led to the formation of B-Revealed – a movement targeted at inspiring others not to hide behind a mask of false living, but to embrace who they really are and never be afraid of the pointing fingers and mocking voices.
After years of hiding behind long pants and stockings, of being afraid to enjoy the little things like going out shopping for see-through sandals that expose her feet; today, Berlange is part-time model, part-time inspirational speaker and full-time super woman. She has dedicated herself to being the voice of encouragement to those who are depressed and heartbroken.
The small town girl is changing lives with her story. Even though she wakes up on some days with a heavy heart and an excruciating pain, she trudges through it and takes joy in the simple fact that somebody somewhere is smiling a little brighter or soaring a bit higher because of her story.
The world applauds your courage, Berlange. Thank you.
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