When doctors told one Virginia mom that there was nothing she could do to help her blind son, she vowed to prove them wrong. Now, with the help of brand-new technology, her 12-year-old son Chris Ward may finally be able to see.
Because his eye muscles never fully developed, 12-year-old Ward is considered legally blind. He types his homework assignments on a braille typewriter and uses an abacus to finish his math homework.
“It’s been an inspiration to me because he’s never complained about it. He’s picked up on it so well,” mother Marquita Hackley said.
Because she never gave up hope that her little boy would be able to see one day, Hackley has always been open to opportunities that could change her boy’s life.
A few weeks ago, Hackley took Ward to Washington D.C. on a trip to try a new technology called ESight. While the promises were big, Hackley had doubts in the back of her mind.
As if by miracle, Ward saw his mother for the first time in his life when he put the ESight electronic glasses on his face.
When asked about the experience, the 12-year-old was super excited.
“Well when I saw my mom for the first time, she was pretty,” he said.
After fighting for her boy’s vision his entire life, Hackley simply broke down in relief.
“I just broke down and cried. It was just amazing because he’s never been able to see details like that,” Hackley added.
If Chris gets to wear the glasses, he no longer will be legally blind. But his insurance company refuses to pay the expensive $15,000 bill for the high-tech glasses.
But mom refuses to give up. She is now looking for other options to give her son the eyesight he deserves.
“Once I read print books with the glasses, I’ll be home free,” Ward added.
