Your initial reaction to this title was probably, “What’s this guy talking about?!”
I don’t mean it in a negative way - hear me out.

I became legally blind in just a couple of months as a 19-year-old sophomore at San Diego State University. The cause is a rare genetic disorder called Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON), which has no treatment and no cure.

It was an extremely challenging experience.

It’s been 13 years since that happened. There’s been a lot of time, space, reflection and therapy. I’ve gone through the experience, “crossed the finish line, and collected the t-shirt." I have adapted, adjusted, and accepted what is my “new normal.”

Now as an Inspirational Speaker sharing my story with audiences around the world, one of the most common comments I hear is, “There’s no way I would’ve been able to handle the experience you went through as well as you did.”

My response is always, “I appreciate that, but you don’t know that.”

Before my son Palmer was born, I asked friends with kids what I needed to do to prepare to be a father. Especially if there was anything about being legally blind that could make things harder that I might not be thinking about. I listened to related audiobooks, watched videos, and took online classes to prepare for my son’s arrival.

Now that Palmer is 15 months old, as I reflect on the situation, I’d say becoming a Dad is similar to when I lost my sight. Then, I had no idea how I’d survive and live a quality life with a visual impairment, but with help I found a way. Now, having become a parent for the first time, I’ve realized you can read all the books you want, but when your child arrives, you’re in it, and you simply find a way to make it work.

In both situations, the most important thing is having quality people around you. When I lost my sight, my family and friends rallied around me, which helped me thrive. I’m a good Dad, but my wife Ellen is a great Mom. I’m extremely proud of the Mom that she’s become and I’m forever grateful to have her on my team.

We never know what we're truly capable of until we're thrust into the experience and have to roll up our sleeves and go through it.

Losing my sight was challenging. I’ve grown immensely from the experience, but I don’t wish it on anyone.

Becoming a parent has been a challenging experience that has taught me a lot as well. But it has been a very rewarding experience that I do wish on anyone and everyone who is considering it.

When you hear of someone overcoming a challenging situation and you think to yourself, “Man, I don’t think I could handle that as well as they did,” think again. You never truly know what you can or cannot do, until you must do it.

To Follow Jeremy on his journey, you can join his newsletter by Texting the word SEE to 55444 or by following this link: https://www.jeremypoincenot.com/subscribe