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BLIND VETERAN EXPERIENCES THE THRILL OF SKIING --

"Don't ever tell me I can't do something. You won't gain

anything in life by feeling bad for yourself."

 

 

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Blind veteran experiences the thrill of skiing

By Sarah Gonet
Standard-Times correspondent

For many New Englanders, there is no bigger winter thrill than flying down a ski slope.

Lauren Reddy is no exception.

What sets Ms. Reddy apart, however, is not simply her love for winter sports, but the fact that she is blind.

"Don't ever tell me I can't do something," the 38-year-old Army veteran said. "You won't gain anything in life by feeling bad for yourself."

It has been a decade since Ms. Reddy developed multiple sclerosis while stationed in Hawaii. The disease, which resulted in optic atrophy, robbed the former military pilot of her vision but not her strength.

For the past six years, the New Bedford native has taken part in the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, honing her skills in alpine skiing and other sports such as fencing.

"A lot of my inspiration comes from my mother," Ms. Reddy said. "She was a single mom who raised three kids. I don't think there is any bigger challenge than that."

Four hundred participants attended the clinic, which was co-sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Disabled America Veterans, which took place April 2-6 in Snowmass Village, Colo.

Amputee, quadriplegic and visually impaired veterans were offered the opportunity to participate in sports they might have thought were lost to them because of their disabilities.

"When you see a disabled veteran who is a bilateral below-the-knee amputee or a visually impaired veteran, both of whom have never skied, come down the slopes and yell with excitement, you know that they are going to go beyond this experience," said Jenny Tankersley Ballou of the Office of National Programs and Special Events VA Medical Center. "Their miracle is at that moment but there are many more to come. They won't go back to the life they lived before coming to the clinic."

"Once you say you can't, you've completely defeated yourself," said Ms. Reddy, who had never skied before taking part in the clinic. "What they are offering you is an opportunity to challenge yourself, and you have to take it."

For 21 years, the clinic has provided an opportunity for disabled veterans from across the nation to socialize and take part in valuable rehabilitation. Although the clinic is not focused on competition, those interested in furthering themselves in a particular sport receive instruction and encouragement from professional trainers and paralympic athletes.

"I can absolutely see myself pursuing more training and competition," Ms. Reddy said. "The reason I joined the military is because you can go as far as you want to."

Ms. Reddy, who plans to return to school and work with veterans who have disabilities, looks to her future with optimism. "You need to always be pushing that envelope, no matter what."

To learn more about the VA sports clinics, contact your local Division of Veterans Affairs office.

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Larry Scott  --