I was born with retinitis pigmentosa, a rare disease that causes cells in the retina break down and leads to vision loss over time. Though I had 20/20 vision when I was younger, I began to lose my vision little by little. By the time I was in middle school, I couldn’t see the words in my books anymore, and I couldn’t see what was written on the blackboard. When a teacher asked me to read a chapter in class, I couldn’t do it. My teacher wanted to tutor me, but I couldn’t take it anymore, so I didn’t finish school.
I started working all kinds of jobs and traveled a bit, but my vision got worse. I couldn’t recognize people, and I couldn’t see across the street. That’s when I got a job at Vibrant Works, formerly known as San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind and Vision Impaired.
That was 50 years ago.
As a general assembler, I’ve done it all. Projects for the military have included sewing uniforms and chin straps. I’ve assembled pens, mechanical pencils and all kinds of office supplies for various companies. I was also a machine operator for some time.
Today, I’m 78 years old, and I can only see shadows. But I never gave up. If I wanted to learn something or do something, I always found a way. And in the last 50 years, I’ve learned and accomplished a lot.
My favorite part of my job is working with other people who are blind or have other disabilities. A lot of us share the same challenges, so we understand each other. That’s why I love the community we’ve built here. We support and encourage each other.
Blindness doesn’t stop a person if they want a job. I love to encourage my team members to not give up. I tell them, “God didn’t put you in this world to give up. You can still walk, you can still talk, you can still eat and have a good time.”
I’ve made many friends along the way, and I also met my wife, Isabel, here. Wherever we go — whether it’s downtown, to the movies, to eat or to church — I always proudly wear my Vibrant Works badge.
I can’t tell you what Vibrant Works means to me. There’s no other place like it. They help people who are vision impaired. They don’t turn anybody down. As long as you want to work, you’ll have a job.
When the organization celebrated my 50th anniversary in March, I was surprised. I didn’t know they were going to make such a big deal for me. They even gave me a big check. (I always wanted one of those.) When people ask me why I’ve worked at Vibrant Works for so long, I tell them, “If you love your job, you’ll stay there.” And I love what I do. I plan to stay here until the man upstairs tells me it’s time to go.
