Inspiring Story of a Blind Man

As the years pass, boyfriend’s eyesight is deteriorating like any other RP patients. He’s been diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa in the year 2000 since it was only that time that RP was discovered. He’s been wearing eyeglasses ever since 10 months old. Even before we met, his eyegrade was 700/750 and has a tunnel vision. His right eye is almost blind and wouldn’t recognize a person until he/she is right in front of him. You can just imagine how frustrating it would be to a man who loves cars (driving) and designing (web programming).

Many times his eyes twitch and that also comes the realization of how long his eyesight will stay longer. Last week we had our eyes check and aside from his Retinitis Pigmentosa getting worse, he also now has Astigmatism which made it even harder for him to read. About the same week, he felt so down thinking that he’s not yet ready to go blind.

I have read an inspiring story of a Blind Man for him before which his GrandAunt photocopied from a newspaper last 2008. Fortunately, that copy came out from a junk pile I’ve been meaning to clean. (Coincidence?)

Marx Vergel Melencio was not blind when he was born. He was shot by a neighbor for no apparent reason that made him blind. But instead of wallowing himself to self-pity and depression, he used his disability to his advantage and use it in a proper and sustainable way. He was a lousy salesman before but getting blind gave him focus.

He was rejected by companies thrice (since they have no way to test blind applicants). With the help of non-government organization that looked after the welfare of people like him, Melencio was hired by a local outsourcing writing firm. Because of this, he was encouraged to start his own company in 2006. Melencio was not only able to help himself but other disabled persons as well. Some of his employees are blind and some are wheelchair-bound.

Melencio has a wife and child to support; I think that is his very great inspiration to move on. After re-telling this story to Boyfriend, he smiled. I think he felt better. Maybe he realized that he’s somehow lucky to know that what his fate’s gonna be and can have the time to be ready for it, unlike Melencio who suddenly just got blind. It’s like a person who has a terminal illness and is nearing death. I think that’s better that you know you’ll be dying unlike people who just got caught by accident and just died… tragic.

Tagged as: astigmatism, lesson learned, marx vergel melencio, retinitis pigmentosa