Learning to Live Again Through Adaptive Sports By James Herrera Physical Health and Wellness Director, Wounded Warrior Project
As a slow-progressing eye disease threatened to upend Charles Miller’s life, he feared for his job and his ability to care for his young son as a single dad. “At the time, I thought I would not survive as a blind person,” Charles said. “Now I find myself living a better life than when I was sighted.” After 28 years in the Army and Army Reserves, Charles began to gradually lose vision due to a disease that affects the retina – the light-sensitive lining of the eye. He remains independent with help from a guide dog, his use of technology, and adaptive sports. “Adaptive sports taught me to start living again,” Charles said. “It was almost like the old me had to die for me to learn to live again. “At adaptive sports events, I feel like I’m serving other warriors because I can talk directly to them about my experience – coming through the dark and finding purpose.” These days, you can call Charles a renaissance man. In his new life, Charles is a certified sailor who recently took friends out on a 32foot boat, a volunteer who helps blind children learn to kayak, and a seasoned adaptive sports athlete who brings home the gold. Along the way, support from the VA and Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) has changed the way this warrior tackles challenges.
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WWW.HomelandMagazine.com / SEPTEMBER 2019
“I can’t do stuff like that.” Charles went through a rough period when his vision impairment cost him his career and caused a couple of car accidents. He turned to the VA for help finding a new path. “I started counseling through the VA, was referred to occupational and physical rehab, and met Katie Blunk,” Charles recalled about meeting his VA coach. “She changed my life when she introduced me to adaptive sports.” Charles hadn’t done any sports before his vision loss. When Katie suggested attending an adaptive sports clinic at the Lake Placid Olympic Training Center, Charles said, “I’m blind; I can’t do stuff like that.” Katie responded, “Let’s go.” “I ended up learning to play goalball. It blew me away that there are professional athletes who are blind and who give their time to teach us.”