When Calvin developed glaucoma and lost his vision, he said, “I thought I would have to give up everything I have done or love to do.” However with training Calvin, always a good cook, went on to manage coffee shops in Waukesha and Madison. Quick to exhibit a sense of humor, he praises his mother who taught him how to cook at age seven: “My mom taught me how to do these things so well that I can do them now with my eyes closed!”
Calvin went to the Wisconsin Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired
for orientation and mobility training—to increase his confidence and safety in new environments. And rather than give up what he loves, Calvin learned how to resume many activities—like reading, using the computer, and cooking.
Currently Calvin serves as executive director of Dryhootch Madison, a resource for returning veterans and their families. And he says, “Like so many people who are sighted, I used to judge others by what they looked like on the outside. Now, I really listen to people, and I learn to value them based on what comes from within.”
