As a sighted person, I suppose that I take my five senses for granted, especially the ability to see. I open my eyes and I can see everything around me. I can see the green on the trees in the summer time, the brightly colored flowers in the spring, stunning sunrises and sunsets, and the stars in the sky at night. I enjoy art museums and the view from an overlook after a long, difficult, uphill hike. On a much more practical level, sight is a part of my survival and everyday life. I see the coffee table so that I don’t trip over it, the stairs so that I don’t fall down them, and I watch the colors of the stoplights change when I drive a car. I honestly can not imagine how my life would change if I lost my sight.
Josie Paille was born able to see, but a 16 years old, a vein occlusion caused her to lose sight in one of her eyes. But, she adjusted quickly and continued on with her life as normal. Unfortunately, many years later, the same condition spread to her good eye. Her doctors informed her that soon she would be completely blind. Of course, Josie was devastated when she learned the news. In an effort to cheer her up, Josie’s brother Peter suggested skydiving, so that she could see the world from the sky. Josie was reluctant but decided to go anyway and that choice would change everything. As she exited the plane, Josie was struck with the feeling that she was going to die, but that’s not what happened. Instead, she felt a sharp, excruciating pain in her head. Amazingly, when she woke up in the morning, she could see! Watch the video for more of Josie’s miraculous story!
