Born with a rare condition that caused fluid-filled cysts to grow across her face, Indira de Rooij spent her life fighting just to breathe—undergoing more than 30 surgeries after an emergency tracheotomy as a newborn.

But the physical pain wasn’t the hardest part.

At 16, a photo of her went viral online—where over 10,000 people mocked her appearance and compared her to a “monster.”

For years, she endured bullying, stares, and cruel comments from strangers and classmates alike.

Indira was born with lymphatic malformation, a condition in which lymph vessels form abnormally and create fluid-filled cysts. In her case the cysts developed on her chin, tongue, and throat, severely obstructing her airway (blocking an estimated 70 percent of it). Shortly after birth she required an emergency tracheotomy. She spent three months in hospital; her heart stopped twice during that period. Over the following years she underwent more than 30 procedures to drain or reduce the malformations. Surgery eventually stopped around school age because of the risk of permanent facial nerve damage.

The medical challenges were compounded by social ones. Classmates and strangers stared and made comments. Then, at 16, a photo of her was shared on social media and went viral. Users compared her to a movie monster; the post gathered thousands of likes. Indira has described the experience as deeply degrading and damaging to her mental health.

Today Indira, a nurse from Almere in the Netherlands, speaks openly about her condition and the bullying she faced. After years of therapy she says she has reached a place of greater self-acceptance and feels happier than ever. Her story draws attention both to the medical realities of lymphatic malformations and to the lasting harm caused by online cruelty toward people with visible differences.

Sources

• Interview and reports featuring Indira de Rooij (New York Post / SWNS, September 2024), detailing her lymphatic malformation, emergency tracheotomy, more than 30 surgeries, the viral social-media incident at age 16, and her later reflections as a nurse.
• Clinical background on lymphatic malformations (abnormal lymph-vessel development leading to fluid-filled cysts, particularly in the head and neck region).