Blind man works to raise awareness

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - At just 35 years old, John Stroot went blind after suffering from glaucoma and detached retinas.

"It's not easy being this way for 35 years half my lifetime but I'd rather be able to see beautiful sky and pictures and tv and baseball games and pretty women and all of that good stuff," Stroot said.

He said after six months of depression, he decided he was going to move on.

"My mom told me at that time she says the good Lord closed the door on my sighted world and he's going to open up a lot more in the blind world," he said.

Stroot learned the history of Braille, spoke to others that were blind, went to blind conventions and started a sight loss group, because he says, you can start to feel alone if you're blind.

"Some people are afraid to talk to blind people and they're afraid that what we have it catching and I tell them that what we have is not catching."

Along the way, he met Kathy Cardinal who became involved in the blind community after a project in college.

She drives Stroot and others, helping with daily activities.
  
"You have the time to give to the community and I think that's what it's all about is giving back," Cardinal said.

Their latest endeavor is joining the Good Cheer Club to create fellowship among blind residents.

"Some blind people that's the only time they get out of the house is one day a month," Stroot said.

"They are just so upbeat, you forget as with John that they are even blind and just the cutest people," Cardinal said.

Stroot and others play the cards he was dealt, as Stroot and Cardinal work to raise local awareness.

"It's not the end of the world, 35 years ago I thought it was but now I think I've got a wonderful life," he said.

January is National Braille Literacy Month.

The Good Cheer Club for the blind meets the second Wednesday of each month.