Portraits of the blind

Being blind does not end one’s life; it begins a new one - one that can be filled with aspirations and achievements just as any other. Portrait of the Blind is an ongoing project of my gaze into the lives and activities of several remarkable visually impaired people with inspiring stories. Challenging the conventional wisdom that disability breed’s inability –these vignettes along with the stories reveal the complexity of pursuing happiness and success under all circumstances.

Jerome Davis is a high school student who is cheerful and has a ‘huge sense of humor’. He also has a tremendous love of coffee, so much so that he has trained as a barista. He was born with Retinopathy of prematurity. He loves to tinker with machines. He also helps his mother around the kitchen by cooking and cleaning.

When asked to give a few words of hope to others who are visually impaired he says without hesitation, ‘You can do just about anything that sighted people can do!’


Tobias Al-Trabulsi spoke in an ordinary, gentle voice. There was, however, something extraordinary about him: He gets around in a wheelchair using a cane. Because of a genetic disorder, he is mostly blind and disabled in his legs. He considers himself to be “luckier than most.” He explained that many people, even ones without disabilities, have no support base and are therefore truly unfortunate.

Even though Toby does not love mornings, he gets himself up with some small thing that brings him joy—like a snatch of silly music that makes him laugh—and he carries that thing through the day.
Toby has acted in several plays. He wants to continue acting and become a braille instructor.


Harley Fetterman is a fifteen-year-old student making As and Bs in his pre-AP classes at James Bowie High School.
He also finds time for camping, rock climbing, stand-up paddle boarding, and surfing. He plays the piano, the French horn, and the guitar—using music notated in Braille—and participates in debate and math contests outside of school. Unlike most of us, he has visited all fifty states.

When asked to describe his personality, the precocious young student says, “Humor is very important, and if you can’t handle the humor, then get lost. I like to keep a positive attitude. You can always panic later


Brittany Culp lost her vision as a result of a hereditary disease. She has competed in four National Physique Committee body building competition in the bikini division.

And she offered some advice for other visually impaired people: “Blindness isn’t a death sentence. You can be so much more. We are blind and I think we have it good. We can get around, we still have our hearing, we still have functional brains and minds; there is no limitation.”


Christopher Wright has an undergraduate degree in Manufacturing Engineering and a graduate degree in Vocational Rehabilitations Counseling. He is witty and easygoing, and explains his outlook by saying, “If you don’t have a funny and light attitude about the barriers in life, you will focus on all that is difficult and none of those things you truly value in life.”

His words of hope for the visually impaired: “Work hard, make self-accommodations, and prove that you are not only able, but capable, and hold on to those things you enjoy, work hard at those things that are difficult, and don’t allow others to feel sorry for you.”