Disown Teenage Daughter: We (fortunately) live in a world where same-sex relationships, marriage, adoption and everything in between is becoming more and more understood, accepted and celebrated.
But there are still some people who haven’t yet quite grasped the idea of letting people live as happily as they possibly can.
Take Emily Scheck’s parents for example. On discovering that their daughter is a lesbian they completely disowned her – telling her that she either quit university and get conversion therapy or get cut off.
The 19-year-old, who is currently studying for a business degree, refused to quit school which meant she found herself homeless and broke.
According to the Metro, her dad even removed the registration plates from her car and refused to pay the insurance when he and his wife discovered her sexual preference after they saw a picture of Emily with her girlfriend in August.
Shortly afterwards Emily’s dad drove to Canisius College, in Buffalo, New York, where she is on a partial athletic scholarship, and gave her personal belongings including clothes, photographs and even her birth certificate.
Emily told the Buffalo News she had received a text from her mother that read: “Well, I am done with you. As of right now, you declare yourself independent. You are on your own. Please don’t contact us or your siblings…. Because you disgust me.”
One of Emily’s friends, Grace Hausladen, decided to set up a GoFundMe page in a bid to help her financially support herself.
But with the campaign taking off it meant that the athlete’s eligibility was disqualified under The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules.
Emily and Grace decided they would no longer be on the Canisius College’s running programmes, with Grace writing: “This opportunity to help a friend in need has helped her and others to see that there is hope and love when it seems lost.”
They added: “Thank everyone for their support and love! We both will be supporting the team from the sidelines”.
The page initially had a $5,000 (£3,800) target and donations have now been closed after raising $100,515 (£78,160). There were over 2,500 people that donated in 14 days, enabling Emily to pay for the things that her parents no longer would be such as rent, healthcare and food.
The Buffalo News reported that the NCAA stated it was ‘currently reviewing all options’ but they have since updated their rules so that the teen can compete while using the donations to support herself independently.
A statement issued on Emily’s behalf by Cansius College said: “Thank you to everyone who showed their love and support in this difficult time. The positive outreach has been unbelievable. I never expected this amount of support.”
In the final update on GoFundMe, Grace wrote: “Thank you to everyone who has helped shape Emily’s future through their love, support and donations.
“By the amount of shares and attention this story was able to bring, Emily has more than enough to replace the financial support her parents will no longer give.
“Emily and I will be back running on the Canisius track team next season in the spring thanks to the NCAA and Canisius. We will continue our lives as college kids to get our Business degrees at Canisius.
“As Thanksgiving comes around, Emily, Justyna, and I all have something to be grateful for. A nation came together to help out a person in need and showed that Emily was worth fighting for.”
In a desperate attempt to try and stop their daughter being who she is and doing what she wants, Emily’s parents actually enabled her to receive all the love and support she could have needed. Faith in humanity well and truly restored.