Guy Sees Woman In Wheelchair, Decides He’s Suddenly A Medical Expert

Not all disabilities are visible. In fact, most aren’t.

But one man couldn’t wrap his head around that, and instead of minding his own business, he lashed out at a woman who uses a wheelchair, accusing her of faking her illness just because she could walk.

She shared the uncomfortable encounter on TikTok, and the video quickly went viral, with millions expressing outrage at his ableist outburst.

Here’s how it all went down.

The woman relies on a wheelchair due to her disability

Woman with POTS in a wheelchair outdoors, highlighting invisible disability and challenges faced while using a car.

Image credits: Freepik (not the actual photo)

But when a stranger saw her walk, he decided to confront her, convinced she was faking it

Young woman with POTS in a car, appearing frustrated while addressing harassment about her disability status.

Image credits: lil_tachy

Woman with POTS harassed for not looking disabled enough while using a wheelchair and loading it into her car.

Text excerpt from woman with POTS describing a long flare with wheelchair use and recovery progress.

Text image showing a woman with POTS explaining she uses a wheelchair only when necessary and was not in a handicap spot.

What followed was a very uncomfortable exchange

Text conversation showing harassment toward a woman with POTS questioned about using a wheelchair despite walking and driving.

Conversation text showing a woman with POTS explaining her ambulatory wheelchair use and facing disbelief.

Angry man in suit gesturing with hand outdoors, representing harassment faced by woman with POTS using a car.

Image credits: EyeEm / Freepik (not the actual photo)

Text conversation showing a woman with POTS explaining her use of a wheelchair due to fainting when walking too long.

Conversation text showing harassment towards a woman with POTS accused of faking disability for using a car.

Woman with POTS in a car reacting to harassment for not looking disabled enough while using a parking permit.

Image credits: lil_tachy

Watch the full video below

@lil_tachy Pulled out my camera because this guy was watching me load my wheelchair back into my car after being in the store with it. I’ve had POTS for 7 years now and most of the time, I don’t need a wheelchair, but ther are times where I can’t get around without one. I went through a 4 month long flare where I couldn’t leave the house at all unless I was in a wheelchair, and I’m just now starting to come out of that flare. Long story short, I don’t use the wheelchair unless I need to. I wasn’t in a handicap spot, I wasn’t in this guy’s way, or impeding his ability to shop. Literally just minding my own business. #xyzbca#chronicillness#chronicallyill#pots#posturalorthostatictachycardiasyndrome#dysautonomia#dysautonomiaawareness#wheelchair#ambulatorywheelchairuser#disability#karan♬ original sound – Kirsten🏳️‍🌈

What exactly is POTS?

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS for short, is a chronic condition that affects the autonomic nervous system, which controls things like heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing. For people with POTS, simply standing up can cause their heart rate to spike, often leading to dizziness or even fainting.

But the symptoms go far beyond that. Many people also experience chest pain, blackouts, nausea, fatigue, headaches, brain fog, digestive issues, shaking, and difficulty sleeping.

It’s estimated that POTS affects between 1 to 3 million people in the U.S., most of them women. Public figures like singer Halsey and Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky have spoken out about their experiences with the condition, helping to raise awareness.

While there’s no cure, POTS isn’t life-threatening and doesn’t shorten your life expectancy. It can often be managed with medication, lifestyle changes, and a careful balance of diet and physical therapy.

That said, the condition can get worse depending on what’s happening in your body. Common triggers include:

• Strenuous physical activity
• Illness or infection
• Standing or walking for long periods
• Hot weather or hot showers
• Menstruation or pregnancy
• Recovering from surgery or injury

For some, symptoms can be kept under control with relatively minor adjustments. But for others, POTS can be debilitating. Some struggle to walk even short distances. Some are bedridden and need help just getting to the bathroom. About 50% of people with POTS are unable to attend work or school.

And despite all this, it’s still wildly misunderstood.

Many people assume it’s not a serious condition because common symptoms don’t seem severe. Even some medical professionals aren’t familiar with it, which means many individuals don’t even realize they have it.

In the UK, the average time from first symptoms to a diagnosis is seven years. Even worse, up to 85% of patients say they were told their symptoms were “all in their head” and misdiagnosed with anxiety or depression, despite research showing POTS patients are no more likely to have psychiatric conditions than anyone else.

Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

How you can support someone with POTS

For those without a disability, it can be easy to overlook how inaccessible the world is and how often people with invisible conditions are treated unfairly.

A UK survey by Fish Insurance found that 39% of respondents believed people with valid disability parking permits shouldn’t use accessible parking if they didn’t appear to be struggling to walk.

Even more shockingly, 18% said that people who did show visible difficulty, like a limp or a prosthetic, shouldn’t be allowed to use those spots either.

That kind of thinking isn’t just uninformed, it’s harmful. It also shows why empathy and education matter so much.

So, what can you do to support someone living with POTS? Guide to POTS offers these helpful suggestions:

• First, start by truly listening. If someone with POTS opens up about what they’re experiencing, give them space to share and take their concerns seriously.
• Be there for them in ways that work for their energy and mobility levels. They might not be able to attend concerts or events that involve lots of walking or standing, but that doesn’t mean you can’t spend quality time together. Suggest a movie night at home or a low-key hangout instead.
• If you do end up going out, try to be flexible and patient. They may not be up for a long walk on a hot summer day or keeping a fast pace, but grabbing a bite to eat at a local café could be perfect.
• And finally, take a bit of time to learn about the condition yourself. You’ll get a much better idea of what daily life with POTS can be like.

Above all, lead with kindness. Living with a misunderstood condition like POTS can feel isolating, but knowing someone is willing to show up and listen can make all the difference.

The woman later revealed she couldn’t believe he was serious at first, until he kept going

Screenshot of social media comments discussing a woman with POTS and misconceptions about her disability while using a car

Comments on social media about a woman with POTS facing harassment for not appearing disabled enough while using her car.

Comments discussing a woman with POTS being harassed for not appearing disabled enough while using a car.

Comments on harassment towards a woman with POTS using a car, discussing caution when rolling car windows down.

Comments on social media about a woman with POTS harassed for not appearing disabled while using a car.

Viewers  were appalled by the way he treated her

Comment by user ::jay:: questioning if the content is a Southpark episode, with 2555 likes and one dislike.

Screenshot of a social media comment discussing frustration related to a woman with POTS harassed while using a car.

Comment expressing relief about not living in America, discussing stressful experiences related to woman with POTS harassment.

Social media comment referencing POTS with a sarcastic reply about smoking pot and a rolling eyes emoji.

Comment on social media discussing assumptions about disability and appearance related to woman with POTS harassed while using car.

Comment about using POTS government name to address harassment related to appearing not disabled enough in a car.

Social media comment criticizing harassment of woman with POTS for not looking disabled enough while using her car.

Comment warning about not rolling down car windows for strangers, related to a woman with POTS facing harassment.

Social media comment about dealing with harassment faced by a woman with POTS using a car.

Comment from Shanna Darby saying you don’t owe him any explanations, with 125.8K likes shown on social media.

Comment from Suzy Starshine addressing harassment about needing a wheelchair related to woman with POTS using a car.

Comment expressing frustration over harassment of a woman with POTS for not looking disabled enough while using a car.

Screenshot of a social media comment related to a woman with POTS being harassed for not looking disabled enough while using a car.

Screenshot of a social media comment discussing expensive medical equipment related to a woman with POTS using a car.

Comment about harassment faced by woman with POTS for not looking disabled enough while using a car.

Social media comment about disability, addressing harassment toward woman with POTS questioned for not looking disabled enough.

Comment from user MrsRou812 on social media about being an amputee and having a similar conversation related to disability.

Social media comment referencing a misunderstanding about POTS related to disability and harassment while using a car.

Comment from TikToker about the cost of wheelchair mechanics disproving fake disability claims related to woman with POTS.

Comment from woman with POTS discussing harassment for not appearing disabled while using a car on social media.

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