A mother who took her disabled son to Walt Disney World felt "humiliation" and "shame" after receiving a mean note on her car for taking up two parking spaces.
Tricia Proefrock from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, brought her 13-year-old son, Mason, to the Magic Kingdom park.
"It's the highlight of both of our lives," she told Fox 35.
Proefrock told the news outlet Mason has Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a type of epilepsy that can affect a person's ability to walk, talk, and see correctly.
Because of his condition, Mason requires a wheelchair, and the family usually parks in Disney's parking lot designated for those with disabilities.
She explained:
"When the side of the lot with ramp accesses are full, the only remaining spots have no ramp access."
"Every single time out of dozens of trips, the cast members instruct me to take two spots, by parking directly on the white line. This gives me room to wheel my son out of the vehicle."
Proefrock said she did not like taking up two parking spaces but was told by cast members—the lingo for Disney employees—there was no other option at the time.
Proefrock also reiterated on Facebook she hung her disability access placard on the rearview mirror and "the handicapped spots were NOT gone, only the ones with ramp access."
When the family returned to their vehicle, Proefrock discovered someone had left a fake parking violation slip on her windshield.
Tricia Proefrock
Tricia Proefrock
The printed note, which was obtained by Insider, read:
"This is not a ticket, but if it were within my power, you would receive two."
"Because of your Bull Headed, inconsiderate, feeble attempt at parking, you have taken enough room for a 20 mule team, 2 elephants, 1 goat, and a safari of pygmies from the African interior."
The note continued:
"The reason for giving you this is so that in the future you may think of someone else, other than yourself. Besides, I don't like domineering, egotistical or simple-minded drivers and you probably fit into one of these categories."
The anonymous parkgoer wished her an "early transmission failure" on their way home and concluded the note with:
"May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your armpits."
Proefrock said she was angry "because I felt like the situation of taking two spots naturally sets us up to be judged."
She also reiterated she always checks "for open ramp spots and end spots, before taking two spots."
There was little that could be done after she informed a cast member about the note.
"I did let a cast member know the following day at Epcot that I had a ramp, and that someone had left the note the day before."
"He was apologetic but could not offer any advice except again, to take two spots."
Proefrock hopes her story would inspire others to think twice before drawing an unfair conclusion.
"So, if you see a car taking two spots, maybe instead of wishing us a broken transmission, you can try to think about WHY a wheelchair accessible van in a medical parking section might need 2 spots."
@lpeterp/Bluesky
@FPWellman/X
@bobsbeatgmail.com5/Threads