"There is no substitute for persistence! It cannot be supplanted by any other quality!" - Napoleon Hill
World Access for the Blind has worked with nearly 10,000 students in nearly 40 countries and over half the U.S. Here are just a few of our inspiring students and their accomplishments.
Ryo Hirosawa
Articles, documentaries, presentations, and personal testimonies about our work with Ryo.
The Story of Little Ran, Adopted from China
"Our daughter, Ólöf Halla Ran, is two and a half years old. I don´t want to say that she is multidisabled because she is so much more , a happy, funny, determinant, strong and joyful little girl. So I prefer to say that she is challenged with multidisability. She is diagnosed with CP, cortical visual impairment, hearing impairment ( deaf in one ear) and developmental delay. We adopted her from China at the age of 10 months. After the initial shock of knowing that she was challenged with disability and not just understimulation from her stay at the orphanage, we were full of hope and sure that this little girl would rise up to all her challenges. One of here chinese name when we adopted her was RAN ... Ran means „to rise up“ and we honestly believed that she would rise up with our help. ... Little by little fear and worry started to replace the hope in our hearts. ... We were unconsciously preparing for the worst and that affected our work with her and what we expected of her. ... I don´t know if you realize the big impact you have made with your visit to Iceland ... thank you for giving us our hope back and believing the anything is possible!"
David Tseng
Jake Olson
Sebastian Mancipe
Sonar system helps the visually impaired
ABC News - July, 2012By Rob Hayes
Reports on our work with blind students in Los Angeles, California - includes demonstrations, explanations, and a student report.
Reports on Our Work in Scotland
Various publications and airings - 2007-2010This includes thought provoking and informative Publications, TV, and Radio programs about our work training blind students and FlashSonar Coaches in Scotland. Includes some personal reports from recipients and sponsors. Additional articles can be found on our Students Report page.
Texas boy learns to maneuver with limited vision
Dallas Morning News - March - June, 2011By MARC RAMIREZ
A touching series of articles and video documenting 8 year old Zack's journey toward blindness, and our work with him. Includes what he and his parents have to say, as well as an additional blind gentleman with whom we also worked, and who came to assist us in our work with Zack.
Young Lucas Murray from Dorset, England
October, 2009Videos and articles about young and delightful Lucas Murray who drew the attention of the media after our work with him.
4 Year Old Jamie Learns to See with Sound
2010Articles and video pieces about our work with Jamie, includes an article written by his mum.
Bat School for the Blind
BBC Switched - November, 2010This informative documentary showcases Brian Bushway, one of our Perceptual Mobility Coaches, teaching a course of FlashSonar to a teenaged boy from Wales, England, with verification of his progress by a scientist from U.C. Davis. This video is narrated by the boy himself.
Shawn Marsolais and Blind Beginnings
This is the story of our work with Shawn Marsolais, President of Blind Beginnings. Includes a full length documentary of her story about how she learns FlashSonar with an aim to learn to ride her bike to work. A lot of the instructional process is followed closely. This is her thought provoking journey. Also includes a link to the history of Blind Beginnings, which Shawn was inspired to found after our work with her. Also includes video of a workshop with Daniel organized by Blind Beginnings after its inception.
Flash Forward
Insight Magazine, United Kingdom - March, 2010by Daniel Kish
One of our most inspirational stories about our work helping a Scottish boy named Danyl learn to walk again after a serious accident. "The last thing I said was: “I’m dying dad, I’m dying dad.” after that I can’t remember anything. ... For the first few weeks, I .. didn’t believe that I was actually blind. ... I was just glad that I was still alive. ... When you first came out to work with us .. I honestly thought you were joking, I didn’t think that it would work. ... When I first came round in hospital and I really wanted to walk and see again, I didn’t think that all of this would be done for me. I didn’t think that there would be help coming from all of Scotland, never mind from America to help me. Now I definitely think I will be able to walk again ... so I am really, really happy with all the help that I’ve received." - Danyl,
Johnny Tells his Story
From: Beyond Chance: Echoes in the Dark - 1999About one of our first students, now deceased. With warm remembrance.
Blind leads the blind, with no room for mistake
The Hindu - February 6, 2013"Daniel Kish, inventor of the famed 'echo location' technique for the visually challenged on Pondicherry University campus."
Little Love can see by sound
nation Media \ Lifestyle - May 19, 2012By JOY WANJA MURAYA
About Juan Ruiz, Perceptual Navigation Coach, and Dewald van Deventer, junior coach and former student, and there work with students in Kenya.
Real-life Batman: The blind leading the Blind
News.com.au - February, 2012What young students and parents have to say at the Workshop for Guide Dogs NSW, Australia, Sydney head quarters.
Hector Tells his Story
Excerpted from Arte - 2003This is the sstory of Hector, a high school boy who took on his school district to commission our services. He now holds a solid job with the U.S. government. Includes unaired footage.
Taking control
Insight U.K. - September/October, 2009"Daniel Kish ... recently presented a series of two-day workshops for RNIB where he taught his techniques of independent movement through sound and touch to selected blind students in front of mobility and education professionals. The following email exchange charts the impact of his work on the life of one of these students."
Echolocation helps kids, adults learn to 'see' with sound
NBC News TODay - May 27, 2013Matt Rivera
Article and video-
"For 14 year-old Alek Wolfe, it was the first time he could walk around unaccompanied by his mother. Though his mom wasn't far behind, Alek walked unescorted, and the young teenager was ecstatic with what felt like independence. "I love it!" he said while walking with traffic less than ten feet away."
Our Work with Ben Underwood
The late Ben Underwood was a gregarious, strapping young teenager who taught himself to use an advanced form of active echolocation to navigate around the world. We were privileged to work with him and support him. Includes pieces about our relationship with Ben including the full length documentary "The Boy Who Sees without Eyes", People Magazine, ABC's Prime Time Live, and donnie eichar's Award winning "seeing with sound". Respectfully, in Ben's memory-
Learning and Living with FlashSonar
by Austin SeraphinA series of eloquent articles and radio interviews detailing a three day training Austin received from our Perceptual Navigation instructor, J Louchart, and how he proceeded to further develop and apply his skills.
Samuel's Story
Videos, articles, and personal recollections about the late Samuel, who left us at 8 years old, with a smile on his lips and ever a gleeful giggle beneath his last breath. To beautiful Samuel -
FlashSonar: The Parents' View
Insight Magazine, United Kingdom - September, 2008 - July, 2010Parents and professionals give their evaluations of FlashSonar instruction.
FlashSonar: Seeing with Sound
Fox News L.A. - April, 2007By Christina Gonzalez
This documentary is an excellent overview of our work, showcasing our instructional and recreational programs, and contains reports from several parents.
Parents Insight: A Parent's View
Insight Magazine, United Kingdom - September, 20104 year old Jamie's mum writes how early independence mobility training changed all their lives.
Ruben's Story
Ruben's family tells his story about our work with them through their on line journal and a published article.
John Pak on FlashSonar
TEDxCambridge - November, 2011"John Pak is a Program Specialist at the Organizational Capability Office, within the Office of Human Capital Management at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. In this talk he helps us understand how to navigate a sighted world without sight." Gives a perspective on Daniel training his "super hero power" when he was an 11 year old boy.
Michelle's Story
Personal messages from video and correspondences.
Nathan Russell's Story
From a teenaged British girl named Holly:
From the Parents of a Young Girl Named Jordan
Devin's Story
Julee-anne's Story
Daniel Kish began work with Julee-anne in Australia, 2012. Julee-anne had voluntarily raised money to bring Daniel out, and also booked a month's worth of engagements. She now works as our Administrative Manager, and serves as the Managing Director of our sister company, World Access for the Blind - Australia. This is her detailed account, told in her own words. Includes an Australian TV News Clip, and an NPR broadcast from Morning Addition about what she and her family had to say.
Kathy's Story
Includes reports from Kathy, her Rehab counselor, and her Mobility Specialist.
from the father of Cameron and Mark
From: "Kurt...Subject: Our experience with Daniel Kish
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2004
To World Access For The Blind,
Our experiences with Daniel and our boys has been a Godsend for us once the realization that our two sons were going to lose their vision by 8-10 years old. His advice has been invaluable in learning how to deal with social and school adjustments. His advice has been invaluable in dealing with school administrations and the learning plans adopted for our children. His care and concern for our children we can never repay with money alone. We can only help others with the same spirit of unselfishness that Daniel has shown us. It is impossible for us to speak too highly of all that Daniel has done for us.
Kurt
About Damyn and Dylan
Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2012 19:43:58 -0700 (PDT)
From: Jennifer ...
Subject: Re: instructional training
Daniel
I am so happy and pleased with the training the boys have recieved!! I can not express to you enough at how the past four days have affected our family. I am so pleased to say that Juan has been such a great replacement teacher. What he has brought to our family, Damyn and Dylan the knowledge of this secret magical training is out of this world, and the eye opening reality of the great expectations I now have for my children is beyond amazing. I can not thank you and Juan enough. I hope that we can build upon this training and make this a yearly thing for our family. … Thank You again so much.
Jennifer
Workshop with Matthew (9) and Clement (13)
Delivered - August, 2005"We want to thank you so much for having us at your seminar. We all learned so much."
-Tracey
Kimburley's Story
Excerpted from Arte - 2003About our work with an 8 year old girl named Kimberley. Includes a heart-felt interview with her Mother, and some words from her Mobility Specialist.
Harshadha tells her story
From Cassie's Mom
After delivering a workshop to about 20 families of blind children.
Nicholas Stevens
South Africa - 2010Account of Mobility instructors first FlashSonar Lesson given to a student
Dennis's Mom comments on our work with her son and local families
Germany - 2014Includes comments from a parent about her work with her son and local families at family workshops, and also includes video coverage from CNN International.
Dan Chomycia: What a sighted Self-Defense Instructor gained from our work
Autumn, 2013A fully sighted self defense instructor's detailed account of his work with Brian Bushway, in his own words. "Thank you for an unforgettable experience,... I was amazed at the amount of things I could hear and how precise I could be. ... This experience has been very good for my brain and I have a new way to experience the world. I can see that there are things that crossover the to the sighted world as well."
Cathy's Detailed Account
Sydney, AustraliaA detailed account of Cathy's journey, told in her own words with a case study contributed by her Mobility Instructor from Vision Australia.
"learning flash sonar is one huge incredible adventure for me. I must admit I'm loving every minute of it. What I am discovering most of all is that it is allowing me to break down many boundaries and barriers that I didn't even realise I had. By that I mean Flash sonar was giving me back confidence initially in the area of mobility. However overtime like many things the confidence that is growing is creeping into other parts of my life. Where I use to say 'I can't do that' or 'I don't think my vision will allow me to be able to achieve that' etc my thinking has changed, that's for sure."
Letters about Justin
Erick's Mum
Date: Tue, 28 Aug 2012Hi Daniel,
How are things??? I bet you've been around the world and back since I last spoke with you!! ... Just to let you know, Erick continues to tell me he wants you to come back.."much sooner than next spring." You have made quite an impression on my son.
Take care Daniel, wherever you are!
Delitza
From: ValerieDate: Sun, 25 Mar 2012
Daniel
I want to thank you and Juan for extending your services o my daughter Delitza. My family is so grateful to have had Juan as a guest and instructor. ... I plan to continue to follow the accomplishments made by you and Juan and spread the word so that families can continue to support your services.
Thank you
Valerie
Ricci's reflections on training he received in a workshop
Cody's mum Heidi
At 12/7/2007, you wrote:Hi Daniel, just wanted to say thank you for working with Cody today and let you know how much I enjoyed your talk. It was fascinating to watch you move about the room, a few times at the start when you were by the pillar, I thought maybe you were "lost" and about to walk away from the circle of chairs. Then when you showed us the echo of the pillar it all made sense and really blew me away.
Two things which I came away with were firstly your words on how society sees those with a vision impairment and basically why we DON'T need to offer assistance to someone just because they were blind.
And secondly and most of all you made me feel like a GREAT Mum because I know that for the most part I strongly encourage Cody's independence in all aspects/feeding/dressing/movement/chores etc. I never knew how essential this was. I KNEW it was very important, but your experiences you spoke of shocked me a bit and made me glad that I have been so "tough" on Cody, despite her vision impairment and intellectual disability.
Anyway Daniel, it was a great talk (despite that freezing cold room!!!)
Cheers
Heidi
Erik Weihenmayer's Training
December, 2013Detailed Accounts in Erik's own words detailing our work with him. Includes video.
Our Work with Dewald van Deventer From South Africa
2010A detailed account of Dewald's experiences told in his own words.
Humoody
Heart-warming, inspiring, and thought provoking articles and video about a young boy named Humoody, and our work with him. "In 2005, his Shiite family was ambushed in a Sunni neighborhood in Baghdad. His uncle was killed. His mother was shot. The attackers then turned a shotgun on Hamoody [Humoody], and shot him in the face at close range. It would be the last thing he ever saw. One eye was shot out. The other was blinded. He was 2-years old." "I remember dying, ... I left my body and went to heaven, ... came back. Three times. ... You don't forget that"
Echolocation: Seeing With Sound I The Feed
SBS2Australia - March 12, 2015by Lanneke Hargreaves
A thoughtful, warm, and pleasant documentary of FlashSonar training and the philosophies of freedom behind it, with focus on workshops delivered in Baltimore Maryland by Daniel Kish at the Industries for the Blind, and Queensland Australia at family camp directed by Julee-anne Bell, with Penny Stevenson as mobility instructor. Includes some lovely interviews with adults and children.
Matthias' Mom Tells Us
Detailed reflections. Matthias was 4 years old when J Louchart began working with him.
Little Connie's Mum - A touch of the Perks
Eighteen month old Connie learns to use a cane - includes photos.
Human Echolocation in Belize
By Carol and Richard Foster - August, 2015This is a personally produced documentary by two film makers detailing Brian's work with three students in Belize.