Blindness not slowing him down
Manage episode 189665532 series 1525312
Thursday, October 12, was world sight day focusing attention on blindness and visual impairment. Today’s episode of Stories that Touch your Heart focuses on a Milwaukee teenager who doesn’t let blindness stop him from achieving his goals.
Before you meet him, here are a few facts on blindness: according to the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, 36 million people in the world are blind. (http://atlas.iapb.org/) To be considered “legally blind,” an individual must have 20/200 vision or less, with the best possible correction. (https://nfb.org/blindness-statistics)
Carlos Garcia wasn’t born blind, but has been 100% blind since he was a toddler, when cancer (retinoblastoma) in one eye spread to the other one. He hasn't let blindness slow him down. He’s a member of the National Honor Society, on his school’s wrestling team and volunteers his time to help others who are blind. His can-do attitude is inspirational.
The following links have further information. The first is a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article on Carlos Garcia: http://www.jsonline.com/story/news/columnists/jim-stingl/2017/01/05/stingl-teen-says-dont-really-see-handicap/96154212/ The second has photos of Carlos Garcia taken by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:: http://www.jsonline.com/picture-gallery/news/columnists/jim-stingl/2017/01/05/photos-carlos-garcia-will-compete-in-academic-decathlon/96208964/
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