Like most expectant parents, happily married couple Francis and Arlette Tshibangu were eagerly waiting to welcome their second son into the world.
But when their doctors handed them their baby after he was born, the new parents were shocked. Their little boy was born with white skin and blond hair.
The baby’s father, Francis Tshibangu, admitted, “My first thought was, Jesus, is that really my child?'”
The couple was even more confused when doctors explained that their son was not albino.
Francis Tshibangu and his wife, Arlette, already had a two-year-old son and daughter.
In many ways, the children are very similar to their parents, both in their appearance and personality. Like their parents, the siblings were looking forward to getting a new family member.
Baby Daniel came into the world at Leicester Hospital in the UK in 2011. However, everyone in the hospital room that day was shocked and surprised.
“I dropped my chin. I was too shocked to talk and I could see how the doctors looked at each other and wondered if the child could really be mine,” Francis told the Daily Mail.
“Arlette and looked at each other and knew. I knew he was mine. We have been married for three years and it was never a question of infidelity. But when I saw the white skin, it was a surprise, at least.”
Francis Tshibangu, who was a sociology student at the time, shared more about the birth.
“The first reaction from the nurses must have been that Arlette had an affair. Their faces were white, but I was sure he was mine.”
“As I bent down and kissed him, I got a better look at his face and could see that he looked like me and Arlette. He has my nose and my wife’s lips.”
“All we can say is that Daniel is our miracle and, although we were shocked by his white skin, we feel very blessed. He is beautiful.”
His 25-year-old wife, Arlette, adds, “The reaction to the baby was a mixture of shock and silence, not just from myself.”
“I stared at Daniel. The faces of doctors and nurses said everything. Everyone wondered why I had given birth to a blonde baby.”
But when the nurse put his little pink body in Arlette’s arms, she knew that she was connected to him forever.
“Just like any mother who has just given birth to a child, I worried most if he was healthy.”
Mr. Tshibangu added, “I know there will be some who say my wife has had an affair, but I trust her completely and know that’s not the case.”
The family, who has lived in Britain for over 10 years, is originally from Congo. They currently live in Leicestershire, England.
But, if their son doesn’t have albinism according to the doctors, why does he look the way he does?
Family History
The couple began to look into the case and eventually, they discovered some family history that could be related.
Francis and Arlette believe that Daniel’s skin color could be inherited from a grandmother on Arlette’s side of the family. According to relatives, she also born a light-skinned baby.
“It was six generations ago and we do not even know if it was true,” says Francis.
The family has chosen not to look into it any further. Instead, they want to focus on giving their boys a safe childhood in a house full of love.
“There may be a few people who think we’ve stolen him, like ‘Why does a black couple have that child?'” says Francis. “But for us, his skin color isn’t important. The most important thing is that we have a healthy little boy that we love above all else.”
We wholeheartedly agree. A person is not defined by their skin color. We all belong to all the same “race” — the human race!
Share this if you think every child is a miracle — no matter their appearance, skin color, or ethnicity!
