Ray Reinvented Himself
Ray spent a career as a writer for 35 years. But when his vision failed, it looked like there was no way forward.
“I have been associated with Lighthouse for going on seven years,” Ray recalls. “I started to lose my eyesight probably 15 years ago. I went to the Lighthouse because I was looking for a way to continue my writing, and staying involved in the world.”
Ray credits Lighthouse instructors with setting him up with classes, including computer classes so he could continue writing.
“They gave me a new lease on life. I was able to redefine and reinvent myself. Because of that I’ve been a fairly successful author. In six years I’ve published five novels,” Ray says. “If it wasn’t for Lighthouse, I don’t know where I would have gone creatively.”
He went to Living classes (Adapting to Vision Loss.) “I learned perseverence and learned how to deal with life, on life’s terms, with blindness. I wanted to continue to contribute something to life,” he says.
Every person with vision loss faces their own challenges. Many can be overcome bylearning to do things differently. It takes some instruction and, yes, perseverence.
In Ray’s case, “I can’t even read my own books, but I can write them. The reason I could write them was because Lighthouse provided a learning and teaching experience, where I got the computer program that allowed me to
do that.”
He sums it up, “People that have been to the Lighthouse and learned to become active, and proactive in terms of technology, in terms of survival, in terms of being able to do something in the course of a day to make themselves productive, that’s the biggest factor to me.”
Click here to watch a video of Ray’s story.
Read or watch other stories of hope and empowerment
To learn more about our programs and services
go to the Programs page.