Grandpa Crochets Dolls For Children With His Same Skin Condition

It is a heartwarming moment seen all over the Internet when this Grandpa crochets dolls for children with his same skin condition.

It all started when João Stanganelli Jr. crocheted a doll for his granddaughter. He wanted to give her something that would remind her of him, so he created a doll in his image that included vitiligo patches.

Vitiligo is a skin condition that causes loss of skin color. It is not contagious, but vitiligo affects thousands of people all around the world. Even though it is not life threatening, the condition can cause some to have low self-esteem.

After he crocheted the doll for his granddaughter, the image quickly went viral. Others began to reach out and ask for João to make them their own custom doll.

Over 200 dolls later, João’s creations are showing others just how beautiful they are inside and out. He told People magazine, “Stains on vitiligo are beautiful. What is ugly is stains on people’s character.”

João has made all sorts of custom crocheted dolls including one in a wheelchair and another with a cochlear implant.

With over 10,000 followers in Instagram, João is not slowing down anytime soon and he’s elated to be spreading such a positive message. “I feel blessed for the opportunity to bring a little encouragement to people. The response is always positive. I’m happy!”

It is so incredible to hear this grandpa’s story and how a simple act has lead to such an amazing response from the public.