Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
february 6, 2021 saturday winter blind camp the story called blind vision
91 Plays3 years ago
this is for february 6, 2021 saturday winter blind camp the story called blind vision
---
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/harmonicaplayer/message
Recommended
Transcript
Howard's Life-Changing Experience in Vietnam
00:01:01
Speaker
The story called Blind Vision, aired on February 6, 2021.
00:01:07
Speaker
In 1966, a young man only 21 years old and newly married was sent off to fight in Vietnam. Like many others fighting, he was fit, vibrant, and filled with hopes and dreams of a bright future. But on April 26, 1967, the explosion of a landmine made his visions go very long. My name is Howard Myers. I am a blinded Vietnam veteran. This is my story.
00:01:36
Speaker
blind vision.
00:01:57
Speaker
Upon
Triumph Over Adversity: From Depression to Success
00:01:58
Speaker
returning home, Howard faced depression and the fear of the unknown. After his rehabilitation, he found himself searching for a job and a way to fit back into society. Through a newspaper article written about his loss of sight and search for employment, he was hired by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company.
00:02:14
Speaker
In July of 1969, his first contract year, he became the number two sales agent in the United States. The following year, he was awarded the Oscar salesmanship at Detroit's Ford Auditorium in front of 5,000 people. Within
Living Fully: Adventures Beyond Blindness
00:02:29
Speaker
two years, Howard had succeeded in his new career as a blind man in a sighted industry, but he did not stop there.
00:02:37
Speaker
I always believed after I lost my eyesight that I wanted to continue living in a sighted world as much as I possibly could. Water skiing was always one of my interests and playing golf and running and lifting weights. And I've tried to live in a sighted world as much as I possibly can with the limitations I have of having to live in darkness.
00:03:06
Speaker
Unbeknownst
Inspiring Through Running and Community Involvement
00:03:07
Speaker
to Howard, his love of running would become much more influential and inspiration to thousands. As director of the Krim Ten Mile Road Race, I received a call in 1983 from a man named Howard Meyer telling me that he was a Vietnam vet who had been blinded in the war and that he firmly believed he could run the Krim Ten Mile or
00:03:33
Speaker
if he were tethered to another runner. It was fascinating, you know, the courage of this man and the fact that he believed that he could do this for the Special Olympians was very impressive. He wanted to be tethered to Bobby D. Krim, who was the speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives, which really meant that Bobby would not be able to train with him practically until the day of the race.
00:04:00
Speaker
On days when we couldn't get anybody over there to train, I found out that Howard was hanging onto the doorknob of his family car while his wife drove him up and down country roads.
00:04:12
Speaker
When I saw him coming down the chutes, they were both totally exhausted. And it almost looked like they were dragging each other. But they collapsed in each other's arms after they crossed the finish line. You just got the impact of what kind of courage and what kind of problems they had had out there on that course. It was inspiring. Howard has influenced the crimp in so many different ways.
00:04:36
Speaker
Besides the thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars that he has raised in pledge dollars, we have actually in Special Olympics been able to introduce year-round training and year-round competition because of people like Howard. But the spirit that he has given this race, and he is the criminal, it's very very difficult to think of the criminal and not think of Howard.
00:05:00
Speaker
I'll
Family Support and Heroic Influence
00:05:01
Speaker
tell you, it's the most fantastic thing that ever happened to me. As Bobby said, I felt great at first five and got through the hills, great. And then about the six and seven mile mark as heat started to hit me, and Bobby just kept saying, you got it, Howard. And I kept believing it, and we finished. And I just thank God for it. I'll tell you, he's the guy that inspires me and a lot of other people. And I'm so happy about what's happened to this race. It's going to be the biggest one we've had, both in money and people. And it's a big one for me to run with a guy like Howard Myers, I'll tell you.
00:05:30
Speaker
Howard had another blind vision to run on his own. He prayed for an answer. I met Howard in 1987 when we bought our house and we moved in there. The inspiration for the track probably come from early childhood experiences. My father had a friend that was virtually the same situation. He was a blinded veteran from a landmine in World War II.
00:05:52
Speaker
And I observed him in the different things he did with the wires and how he would move around his property and work his farm. I've watched Howard run along many times when I was out walking around in my property as it's right next door. And for me, it's an inspiration for me to see what he can do. And it makes me feel good that I can help him get something back that was taken away from him.
00:06:18
Speaker
While Howard has inspired people from far and wide, it was in his own home that the impact was greatest. His family and friends. Howard and I have been married for 36 years. I have always viewed him as an ordinary man who chooses to do extraordinary things. Over the years I found there's not much he can't do except drive.
00:06:43
Speaker
and he's been known to do that on occasion. He is the love of my life, my life's partner, and my best friend. He's taught me that if you think you can do something, and if you put your mind to it, you can definitely achieve it. I looked over there and I said, tell me something, kid. What's in it for you? Running with an old guy, and she looked back at me and smiled, and she said, you're my best friend?
00:07:10
Speaker
My dad Howard is a really big inspiration. He means a lot to me in my life. I'm glad that he's always been there for me and my kids. He truly is a really great person. I'm very honored to know him. I love him and he's my hero.
00:07:25
Speaker
You know, hopefully one day I can grow up and be the half the man he is. You know, he's just very inspirational and I guess he's never really let me down. So I guess this is a little thing I can do on my behalf to, you know, show my appreciation and love for him.
00:07:43
Speaker
Dad's influenced my life in many ways. The one thing that I've really learned from dad is that circumstances don't define you, but the way that you choose to
Impact on Family: Teaching Perseverance and Ambition
00:07:54
Speaker
look at them does. And while you can't choose your circumstances, you can always choose your attitude towards them. And he's been an amazing example of perseverance, determination, and courage.
00:08:11
Speaker
Beautiful baby from the outside in Chase your dreams but always know the road That'll lead you home again Go on, take on this old world But to me, you know you'll always be My little girl
00:08:42
Speaker
He's always taught me to be a blessing to others, to live life on purpose, to take inventory of your blessings, to live above your circumstances. He truly is my hero. People use that word lightly, but he truly is my hero. The world is a better place because he's in it. My father's influenced my life in so many ways. One day I just made a decision that I was going to live like my father.
00:09:12
Speaker
And I started a business. And I'm a life success consultant. My vision for my company and for my life is to help people find their purpose and their vision and their goals. Watching my father live in this physical world through spiritual eyes has just greatly influenced me in giving me a tremendous belief system.
00:09:38
Speaker
And I believe together, my father and I are going to do some amazing things and we're going to inspire a lot of people. I just thank him so much for being an inspiration to not only me, but to everybody he comes in contact with. Very inspirational to everybody. Yes, he's my hero.
00:10:01
Speaker
Although
Vision for the Future: Life Without Limits
00:10:02
Speaker
Howard's accomplishments are more than anyone could have imagined, there is more for Howard to do in order to fulfill his blind vision. Blind vision means to me having a bigger picture of life. I live in my mind now and I live in my mind in the way of
00:10:23
Speaker
knowing and believing and visualizing and having affirmations every day of what I want to bring into my world. And by focusing on that, it allows me to see the results. I hope that I've influenced
00:10:40
Speaker
my family and all other people that I come in contact with to believe that they can have anything that they want if they're just willing to believe that enough and stay focused on it. I see the future as really a bright future in the sense that my son Chad and I have this vision of giving seminars to people in all walks of life
00:11:08
Speaker
and inspiring them to go after what they want to go after and to have anything that they want in life if they're willing to develop some principles to help them get there. And I'll see you at the top because I believe that life has no limits.
00:12:08
Speaker
Mic on. That's all for now. Thanks for listening. Till next time.