As a blind man who lives alone, one of the most common questions I receive is, “How do you cook?” It is a common misconception that people with vision loss are saved from starvation by inventions such as frozen foods, TV dinners, and Door Dash. I will not make the claim that I don’t sometimes…
I sat on my couch, head in my hands, with a future filled with uncertainty. I had just received the most spectacular news of my life … I was going to be a father; on the heels of that news – that elation – came a dread that settled in my stomach. Even before receiving…
When she first started elementary school in Liberty, Missouri, there was nothing in particular that separated Samantha (Sam) Mitchell from her fellow classmates. But, as the years passed, much to Sam’s consternation and growing embarrassment, she couldn’t help but notice that the proximity of her desk and the front of the classroom grew closer and…
For those of us with vision loss, every time we take up the cane and walk out our front door, it is inevitable that we will get questions regarding our condition. People want to know how we accomplish tasks or about our lifestyle in general. As a longstanding member of the blind community, I’m happy…
“There is nothing except for what my mind imagines.” – Kim Stanley. On the west side of the Alphapointe building in Kansas City, Missouri, is the rehabilitation department. This department serves Alphapointe clients who are experiencing partial or complete vision loss — to teach them the skills they need to be independent and advocate for…
Please note: Some thematic elements in this story may be triggering for certain readers. “It took me becoming blind, to see how bright my future is.” – Dillon Tarn. A young man stood on a dirt mound in the middle of a baseball diamond in Abilene, Kansas. He was facing home plate; a cap sat…
“Adversity helps shape who you are.” – Emily Haapala It is a frigid morning in Kansas City, Missouri, and the ground outside the office window is blanketed in snow with a deep grey sky that promises more to come. Inside the warm office, a 28-year-old woman sits at her desk preparing for clients. The young…
Were you to walk into my closet, you would find a variety of clothing in several different styles. You would find professional wear as well as casual. You would find dress shirts, t-shirts, hoodies, sports team apparel and what some might classify as an overabundance of jackets and coats. Located directly above my clothes is a…
“Being blind has given me power.” – Thomas Nguyen The plastics manufacturing department of Alphapointe (commonly referred to simply as plastics by those who work there) is a huge brightly lit room, filled with machinery, shipping pallets, and workers weaving efficiently between equipment. It just so happens that many of the members of the team…
Buster Olney, the host of the “Baseball Tonight” podcast, was having an interesting discussion with two of his fellow analysts regarding the future of Mets first basemen Pete Alonzo. The voices of the podcast came through clearly on my noise cancelling headphones and, perhaps you imagine me listening in a comfortable chair, warm and isolated…