feature
Vision
for the future
A motivational speaker who talks about ‘true vision’, Ben
Pettingill didn’t always have his sights set on this future,
writes Amy Park.
B
capable of.”
After high school Ben decided
to study a degree in business at
en was 16 years old when he had were largely through sport or
lost his eyesight overnight mutual interests that now I couldn’t
to a rare genetic syndrome, participate in.
Lebers Hereditary Optic Neuropathy.
“I was a really sporty kid,” Ben
“It was a real challenge when
university.
“I think I did it because my family,
teachers and network of friends
were pushing me toward a university
I turned 18; I had my birthday in a degree, or I let myself believe that
said. “I was playing basketball six wheelchair after breaking my ankle they were,” he says.
days a week and competing for water skiing. All of my friends were Victoria at the time. My dream was talking about their cars and getting out I wasn’t at university for me, I was
to become a helicopter pilot. I their P-plates and I wasn’t a part of there for all the others who thought
just wanted to be doing anything that. But I got better at the small I should be there. But what I was
outdoors - that was really everything mundane tasks that gradually grew finding was that my vision loss was
of my goals and dreams.” into bigger challenges. teaching me valuable things.
Part way through Year 10 Ben
“Day by day, one challenge at a
“About three months in I figured
“I had discovered true vision and
found that he had to make some time, from learning how to pour a limitless vision and I developed a
huge adjustments to his life. glass of water to learning how to read passion about this and wanted to
braille, which I learnt in about three teach others this concept. So I got
days after coming out of hospital. out of university and I did a lot of
“Losing my vision made me
feel so different. The friends that I
32
“I think when you’re forced into
something it is amazing what you’re
vision and hearing impairment
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