Through Our Eyes: Devin Williams

“I want to be known for who I am, and not what I am.” Devin Williams

The quote above was just one of many that stuck out to me during my conversation with Devin Williams. So, in accordance with Devin’s wishes, let me tell you a little bit about who he is, and we will get to what he is in due time.

Devin Williams is 28 years of age. He lives in Lawrence, Kansas, with his girlfriend and two dogs, one of which is his guide dog, a Golden Retriever lab mix named Ace.

Devin is currently attending college to get his certifications in massage therapy. He is very passionate regarding physical fitness and has aspirations of being a personal trainer. When he is not in class, or in the gym improving and strengthening his body, Devin also has a love for the automotive industry. He has a fascination for not only vehicles, but their inner workings as well. Devin is a huge fan of UFC fighting, as well as an avid follower of the Kansas City Royals baseball team, riding that emotional roller coaster every season since he was a child.

Devin is a son, a brother, an uncle, a boyfriend, a best friend, a student. He just happens to be visually impaired.

Dealing with His Condition

Devin was born with Coloboma and renal disease. Devin’s condition causes sometimes extreme light sensitivity. Certain lights or a certain brightness can cause pressure headaches, as well as the light negatively effecting his limited vision. This makes light a necessary evil for Devin, which he still must rely on to see. The condition also comes with cataracts, but Devin has had his removed.

The “renal” part of his condition, concerns Devin’s kidneys, one of which is enlarged and only does roughly 5% of the work, while the remaining kidney does the other 95%. This condition is extremely rare, Devin being one of only 60 documented cases in the country.

While Devin is no stranger to the physical accoutrements that accompany his condition (such as a cane or guide dog) what might surprise others is how he has had to adapt to his impairment emotionally as well. One of the emotional challenges of being visually impaired is how he is perceived by those around him, which is sometimes in direct contradiction with how he would like to be perceived.

“Emotionally, there is a lot of ups and downs, because of people perceiving you to have a lower quality of life or being miserable because your blind,” says Devin.

It is paramount to Devin that he is not perceived as being helpless or unhappy; rather he wants to be known as the happy, strong, inquisitive, driven, independent man that he and those who are close to him know that he is. In fact, Devin approaches each challenge not questioning if he can do it, but how can he do it.

The month of September being guide dog awareness month, I wanted to gather some insight from Devin regarding his relationship with his guide dog, Ace.

During his physical and emotional journey from visually impaired child to adulthood, Devin has not been alone. Other than family and friends, he is almost constantly accompanied by Ace. Ace is 10 years old, and Devin was matched with him in 2016 at “The Seeing Eye,” which is located in New Jersey. He and Ace have an extremely close bond, even more so than a man and his dog generally would. He tells the story of when he when he was preparing to cross an intersection and was unaware of a vehicle that had not yet stopped. He describes how as he began to step off the curb and into traffic, Ace gently but firmly nudged him back onto the curb to keep him safe as the vehicle passed. “He saved my life that day.” Said Devin. “That is the difference between a guide dog and a pet.”

At Home with Hard Work

Ace, for his part, has a passion for working, and gets visibly excited when Devin takes out his harness and prepares him for travel. Once that harness comes off, Ace is Devin’s dog … and his friend. He is trained to lead Devin around obstacles, as well as keep him safe in traveling situations. Still, it’s easy to understand how Ace is more than a tool like a can. You can hear a note of emotion come into Devin’s voice when talking about his friendship with Ace. “We are incredibly connected,” Devin says. “Without communicating, we can tell if the other one is upset or having a rough day. I would not trade my baby boy for the world.”

When asked if he would change his eye condition given the opportunity, Devin explains that the only reason he would even consider that course of action, would be so he could fully indulge in his love for vehicles. He would love to be able to drive cars, work on cars, and indeed own a nice ride of his own. However, other than his desire to work on and drive vehicles, he goes on to say, “No, I do not wish to change my vision. I feel like there is a lot of overwhelming distractions for those who have sight. I am fine with my vision the way it is, and I would not change it.”

As you can see (no pun intended), Devin Williams is a perfectly normal 28-year-old man, with the same passions, goals and aspirations as others; he just must find creative ways of accomplishing and achieving his desires and dreams.

I can speak on a personal note and say that the author of this blog is so incredibly honored and privileged to be able to call Devin his best friend.

So, if you happen to be in a gym in Lawrence, Kansas, and you run into Devin, do not concern yourself with his cane, but rather ask him about his favorite sports car, or maybe how the Royals are doing lately. I am absolutely certain he would love to talk to you.