I Needed to Learn How to Be Blind

If you were to meet Craig today, you would never guess the adversity he has had to overcome. He is upbeat, funny, and an absolute joy to be around. By the time he graduated from Bosma’s rehabilitation program, he had touched so many other lives with his vulnerability and willingness to share his inspiring story and future aspirations.
 
At age 27, Craig had been struggling with an alcohol addiction for 14 years. One night, after a fight with his brother, he attempted suicide. “I was drunk and depressed. I’d had enough. I shot myself in the head and lost my vision completely in one eye and left with little vision in the other. I was in pain all the time,” Craig said. 

Unfortunately, the anger and guilt of struggling with sobriety, maintaining relationships, and self-inflicted vision loss resulted in a cycle of destructive behavior for several more years. 

In 2022, the light came on. 

By 2022, Craig had a job he liked and was attending church regularly. He realized he wanted more in life, and the only way to get it was to give up drinking and find a way to live with his blindness. He found a Vocational Counselor near home who helped him visualize a better life.

Craig started Alcoholics Anonymous. He applied to Leader Dog for a guide dog. And his counselor told him about Bosma.
  
“Last August, I entered Bosma’s Vocational Rehab program and was told that if I wanted to stay, I needed to stay sober and attend my AA meetings faithfully. I’ve done both thanks, in part, to their support,” Craig said. “I needed to learn to be blind. I advanced my computer, phone, and mobility skills and found all kinds of technology I didn’t even know existed. Bosma introduced me to so many new possibilities,” he said.
 
But, it was the Business Enterprise Program that caught his attention. He is preparing to begin the BEP training and is now in the process of testing and looking for a business opportunity in southern Indiana. 
 “I’m excited about having my own business and creating my own success. Today, I’m sober and going to AA meetings three to five times a week. I go to the YMCA to work out and have lost weight. I have Benji, a great guide dog and companion. For the first time in my life, I’m looking forward to the future,” he said.
 
Craig’s candor about his past struggles with drugs, alcohol, and depression is inspiring. “I’m honored to share my story. I hope it will show others there is hope. If I can come back, so can they,” he said.