Mary’s Experience at Helen Keller National Center

On-Screen: White text on black background that reads: “Meet Mary. Mary is DeafBlind. She recently completed her training at HKNC and shares her experience.”

On-Screen: White text on black background that reads: “How has the training that you have received at HKNC impacted your life?”

Mary: It’s definitely been a very unique experience, I mean, because I never spent any time around DeafBlind people. But to be surrounded by people who have this endless supply of patience and compassion, I think it just makes me think of how sometimes I think about what it would be like if the wider world was like that. Many more people having the amount of compassion and patience that the people here have– it would be a much, much better world.

But besides other practical things, we just talk about all the skills, the mobility, tech, and everything. And making me realize that yes, it’s possible for me to go out and have a job. Yes, it’s possible for me to go out and walk on my own.

Aside from that, it’s less tangible stuff– meeting other people, other students I’ve met, people with all kinds of interesting stories. And I’ve met people who worked– a couple of people who were nurses, a couple of people who were teachers, a couple who were electricians. And like me, they’ve had change their lives and adapt.

That makes it a unique experience, knowing that there’s other people out there in the center. All of us are looking ahead because we have the experience through here, where you pick up skills, and being in an environment where it’s expected that you will look ahead. [End of Transcript]