Going blind at 45: Finding purpose after darkness | Freddy Petrone | TEDxPortsmouth

Key Concepts

• Leber's Optic Neuropathy: A rare genetic eye disease causing vision loss.
• Alcoholism: Chronic alcohol dependence leading to physical health complications.
• Clinical Trial: A research study to evaluate a medical intervention.
• Carol Center for the Blind: A facility providing training and support for individuals with blindness.
• I Got Bridged: A nonprofit organization providing transportation and food assistance.
• Self-Pity: Excessive indulgence in one's own sorrows.
• The Shawshank Redemption: A movie referenced for its motivational quote.
• Hemiplegia: Paralysis of one side of the body.
• Food Insecurity: Limited or uncertain access to adequate food.

Vision Loss and Initial Despair

Seven years prior to the talk, at age 45, the speaker, Freddy, experienced vision problems attributed initially to the side effects of end-stage alcoholism (neuropathy, gout, hepatitis, cirrhosis). He was diagnosed with Leber's Optic Neuropathy, a rare genetic eye disease that would cause loss of peripheral vision (like looking through wax paper) followed by complete loss of central vision. This diagnosis led to a period of despair, with Freddy acknowledging his inability to perform daily activities and a conscious decision to drink himself to death.

Turning Points: Miracles and Sobriety

• First Miracle: Clinical Trial Offer: A phone call from Will's Eye Center offered participation in a 12-month clinical trial that might reverse blindness, contingent on him quitting drinking. He agreed, marking a turning point.
• Clinical Trial Outcome: Although the clinical trial failed to restore his vision, it enabled him to achieve sobriety.
• Second Miracle: Sustained Sobriety: He remained sober even after the trial's failure.
• Carol Center Experience: Freddy enrolled in the Carol Center for the Blind for 16 weeks to learn essential skills for living with blindness (cutting toenails, using a phone, etc.). His initial experience was traumatic, feeling lost and overwhelmed, especially due to heightened hearing sensitivity to the sound of canes.
• Third Miracle: "Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying": A line from The Shawshank Redemption and the blind school's mantra "Move a muscle. Change a thought" inspired him to take action.

Transformation and Physical Recovery

Overcoming despair, Freddy began a rigorous exercise routine, starting with six-mile walks and increasing to 23 miles per day. This led to a weight loss of 55 lbs.

Helping Others and Founding "I Got Bridged"

• Overcoming Self-Pity: During the blind school graduation he struggled with maintaining sobriety and living blind so he called his sponsor. His sponsor advised him to "Go help someone."
• Shoveling Snow: Freddy volunteered to shovel snow for the elderly, despite his blindness. During this activity, he shoveled snow in a friend's face, highlighting the challenges of his blindness and emphasizing the friend's hemiplegia (paralysis of one side of the body).
• The "Moving Target" Concept: Shoveling, despite its imperfections, was a step in the right direction because "Depression has a hard time hitting a moving target."
• Addressing Food Insecurity and Transportation Needs: Inspired by his own past experiences, Freddy founded the nonprofit "I Got Bridged" to address food insecurity and transportation needs in his community.
• Origin of the Name: The organization's name came from his experience of getting stuck at a drawbridge during his daily walks, seeing it as a metaphor for overcoming life's barriers.

Nonprofit Success and Call to Action

Despite initial skepticism, "I Got Bridged" now operates with five vehicles, 200 volunteers, providing 10,000 rides and 20,000 meals annually, all for free. Freddy's story aims to inspire the audience, emphasizing that overcoming self-pity involves helping others. "You cannot talk your way into the right way of acting, but you can act your way into the right way of thinking."

Synthesis/Conclusion

Freddy's journey exemplifies resilience in the face of adversity. From struggling with alcoholism and blindness to founding a successful nonprofit, his story underscores the transformative power of helping others. The key takeaway is that action, specifically helping others, is a potent antidote to self-pity and a catalyst for personal growth and positive change.