Author: Mark Gamble

• Success Stories

After losing his vision in 2018 at the age of 47, Willie Patrick could have wallowed in self-pity and waited for someone to come along and help him. But recognizing that he had a wife and three kids to provide for, Patrick decided to help himself, and now operates a convenience stand serving the headquarters of two South Carolina state agencies.

“I thought, ‘Why me? Why not the next person? What did I do?’” Patrick recalled of losing his vision in 2018 to diabetic retinopathy. “As time passed, I realized that my life had changed, and I had to accept that. Even if it’s temporary, I have to accept it right now and make the best of it.”

The anger, grief, and isolation he experienced after losing his vision are now distant memories for Patrick, who says he is doing even better today than before he lost his vision. When he came to the SC Commission for the Blind (SCCB), it was determined that Patrick was a good match for their Business Enterprise Program, which trains people who are blind or low vision to operate their own vending business. Today, he operates The Market, a convenience stand serving the Blythewood headquarters of the SC Department of Public Safety and the SC Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV).

“To do what you enjoy doing — for me, that’s success,” Patrick said one weekday morning as a steady line of customers left his store with their purchases. “Some people take time off, but when I’m here, it’s like I’m going on vacation. I enjoy coming here every single day.”

Patrick is one of 61 licensed vendors currently operating vending facilities across the state, according to Ryan Skinner, Director of the Business Enterprise Program. The program is made possible by the Randolph-Sheppard Act, which was enacted by Congress in 1936 and gives preference to people who are legally blind for the operation of vending and concession services on government properties.

One of the core principles of the program is that it trains eligible individuals who are blind and low vision with the skills they need to engage in full-time work and earn a livable income, according to Skinner. Individuals who successfully complete the BEP training may be awarded a stand (if available). SCCB then helps the vendor outfit their stand with any needed equipment and provide an initial inventory and supply.

“The goal is that these individuals earn remunerative income that gives them financial independence,” Skinner said. “Once they start generating profit from the setup cost that we cover and are successfully running the business, the profits are all theirs.”

While SCCB trains these entrepreneurs on the ins and outs of running a business, some traits they may already possess.

“Willie is very smart,” Skinner said. “He’s likable, respectful, and polite. He provides great customer service, which is one of the most important qualities to have when running a successful business.”

Patrick’s customer service experience preceded the loss of his sight: He spent 20 years working in fast food management and carried that customer service philosophy to his new career.

“People drive to work and pass restaurants along the way, but if you choose to come in here, you deserve the best service,” he said. “When people come through that door, I want this to be a place where they can forget about the stresses of work, even if it’s just for a few minutes.”

Since opening The Market in January 2024, Patrick has added a variety of products to his inventory, which now includes premade sandwiches and salads, microwavable lunch items, candy, snacks, and cold drinks. He also has breakfast biscuits from local restaurants, and recently added a coffee machine, which customers can use to create a custom coffee, tea, or espresso beverage.

In the process of adjusting to his new way of life and becoming a business owner, Patrick said he has picked up some new skills — and some new ways of doing things that sighted people might take for granted. Some devices and software help with counting money or inventory. An app called Be My Eyes connects a user who is blind or low vision with a volunteer via video chat to help the user read a label, locate an object, or navigate an unfamiliar area.

While Patrick is indeed a success story, he says there is more progress to be made. Only 44 percent of people who are blind or low vision are employed, compared with 79 percent of those without disabilities, according to statistics from the American Foundation for the Blind.

“A lot of jobs are repetitive — any blind person can do it,” Patrick said. “But people assume we’re going to be a liability instead of an asset, so they don’t take a chance on us. How can we move forward if we’re not given a chance?”

As with any endeavor in life, running a business has its inevitable mistakes and losses. Patrick said that is the most difficult thing about being a business owner. But, as with learning how to walk after losing his sight, he says it all begins with taking the first step.

“It’s trial and error, and you can’t beat yourself up about it,” he said. “I treat The Market just like everything else. You can’t be afraid to make a move, because then you won’t go anywhere. Once you take that step, it may work or it may not. But you have to go for it.”

Written by SCDPS Staff Member Teddy Kulmala

Story originally posted by South Carolina Department of Public Safety as part of their #FeatureFriday

• Success Stories

Jacob Johnson, or Jake, had planned to enter medical school upon graduation from Emory University and become a psychiatrist. However, after a trip to Europe during his junior year, he was no longer certain about his future.

Jake contacted Vanessa Cruell, his vocational rehabilitation counselor at the South Carolina Commission for the Blind (SCCB), and expressed his desire to be involved in the medical field and with helping others. But he also said that he was frustrated because he didn’t know how he might do this. Jake and Vanessa researched many types of medical careers available for a person who is legally blind, but none of the positions really interested him.

Jake was born with ocular albinism and has lived his entire life as a person who is legally blind. Ocular albinism is a genetic condition that reduces the pigmentation of the iris (the colored part of the eye) and the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. It affects depth perception and how sharp or blurry things appear.

Jake was strongly encouraged by his family (both parents are medical professionals) to pursue his interests and goals and not let his vision issues be a barrier to achieving those.

As a young adult, Jake came to SCCB and received services that helped him excel in high school and prepare for college. Some of the services Jake received included counseling and guidance, orientation and mobility training, and a low vision assessment. He also received several types of assistive technology devices, including a portable CCTV to connect to a laptop, a monocular (a “mini telescope” that magnifies objects at a distance), and a ruby (a handheld video magnifier).

Jake also knew that post-secondary training would be the gateway to his future, even if he was unsure what that future would be. SCCB provided Jake with financial assistance for tuition, books, and assistive technology while he attended Emory University, where he studied Biology and Classical Civilizations and graduated in 2018 with degrees in both subjects.

As already mentioned, during his junior year at Emory, Jake became unsure about his employment goal. However, it was also at Emory that he discovered a new, unexpected path. One that would lead to exciting career opportunities.

Jake read an article that described a full-scale emergency management exercise that Emory University had completed. Intrigued by this, he pursued an internship with the University’s Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response and then another internship with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These experiences were a turning point for him.

After graduation, Jake interned with the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, working with their Training and Exercise Bureau on projects during an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) activation. Following this, he attended the Georgia Institute of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and completed training to enter the National Registry of Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians.

“The internships helped Jake confirm his passion,” says Vanessa, “and that emergency management was the career path he wanted to pursue.”

In September 2018, Jake was hired to serve as Emergency Management Coordinator for Bon Secours Mercy Health in Greenville. An SCCB employment consultant assisted him throughout the hiring process.

At Bon Secours, Jake managed the market-wide Emergency Management Program, including 400 beds across two hospitals and approximately 80 ancillary medical facilities and offices. He conducted training and exercises for all levels of staff. Jake also coordinated the response to Covid-19 through the Hospital Command Center and managed the Covid-19 Vaccination Clinic. And he completed training in Bon Secours Emerging Leaders Program.

While working full-time, Jake also entered the online graduate program at Arkansas State University, earning a Master of Science in Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management in 2022. SCCB provided tuition and other assistance as Jake completed his degree.

After Jake became employed, SCCB provided on-the-job supports. In addition to helping Jake and his family find other local and community resources, one of the most significant supports that SCCB helped with is Bioptic Driver Training.

This is a special type of driver training that helps people with low vision learn to drive using a combination of their regular eyeglasses and a small telescopic lens system that improves their distance vision. Drivers use their regular lenses most of the time and look through the telescope when they need to see more details, such as road signs, traffic lights, or potential hazards. Bioptic driving requires careful fitting of the system and extensive training. Jake was evaluated and it was determined that he could benefit from this type of training. And last year, he successfully secured his driver’s license. For people with low vision who can benefit from it, this type of training can have a profound effect on their mobility, employment, and ability to live independently.

Additionally, Jake has a new role at Bon Secours: he is now the Protective Services Emergency Management Consultant.

According to Vanessa, “Over the years, both Jake and his family have expressed immense gratitude for the assistance that SCCB has provided.”

Today, Jake says, “I’m living my best life and enjoying myself. I’m looking forward to my future, whatever that may be.”