See without eyes.
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Ben Underwood has been completely blind since the age of 3, due to retinal cancer. Ben learned how to read Braille and walk with a cane, but when he was 3, he also began teaching himself echolocation, something he picked up by tossing objects and making clicking sounds to find them.
Many species, most notably bats and dolphins, use echolocation to get around.
Ben has learned to perceive and locate objects by making a steady stream of sounds with his tongue, then listening for the echoes as they bounce off the surfaces around him. About as loud as the snapping of fingers, Ben’s clicks tell him what’s ahead: the echoes they produce can be soft (indicating metals), dense (wood) or sharp (glass). Judging by how loud or faint they are, Ben has learned to gauge distances.
When Ben was 6 years old he decided he wasn’t going to use a cane—he calls it a stick—to get around. “You go to school and you’re the only one with a stick, what’s the first thing some kid’s going to do? Break it in two,” he says. “And then where are you? You’re helpless.” At times he was even able to come to the aid of people with normal sight. “I remember taking him to the park with my son, sister and my nieces, and it got dark,” says Akiyama. “But Ben had figured out the park’s layout, and he led the way out. He was in his element.”
Best Video of the Year - Blind Kid Uses Sound to See - video powered by Metacafe
Ben’s ability to navigate in his sightless world is, say experts, extraordinary. “His skills are rare,” says Dan Kish, a blind psychologist and leading teacher of echo-mobility among the blind. “Ben pushes the limits of human perception.”
“I tell people I’m not blind,” Ben Underwood says. “I just can’t see.”
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect action is better than No Action.
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Hi Giovanna, I always love inspiring and motivating stories, and you shared a great story here.
As long as we have a dream and a burning desire to achieve that, nothing is impossible.
Thanks for sharing, Giovanna. I have stumbled it.
That’s an amazing story Giovanna. Inspiring, yet unbelievable. It’s a gift, and I personally like the quote “I’m not blind, I just can’t see”. I believe he can see much clearer than anyone of us, whether in or out of the dark. ^^ Great post. Thanks.
Amazing story. Thanks for sharing
Hello Giovanna
What an inspiring blog this is. I am going to enjoy reading your insight posts.
Ben’s story was very uplifting.
Cheers
Peggy
Ching Ya said it- that quote instantly brought tears to my eyes- what an inspiration Ben is to this world! Thanks for sharing Giovanna!
What an inspiring story! I often think there are two kinds of people - the ones who give up and the ones who don’t. I sometimes worry that I belong to the first group. It’s really good to read about those who belong to the second group!
Hi Arswino
Ben’s story does show us not everything is possible. Thanks for the stumble.
I enjoy reading your comment and sharing your thoughts.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Ching
That is my favorite as well, he is not blind, he just can’t see with his eyes. He sees with his whole body.
Thanks for your comment and joining in the conversation.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Dragos
Thank you for your comment and support.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Mirspeg
Welcome, I hope to see you more often.
Thanks for your comment and sharing your thoughts with us.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Jay
Ben is amazing, he can see with his whole body just no with his eyes.
Thanks for your comment and support.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
that’s such an amazing story! thanks for sharing.
Wow. That’s all I can say.
That is a fantastic story.
I love stories of people that have amazing abilities.
I never would have imagined people being able to use echolocation.
Hi Vered
People like Ben remind us to never give up. We can do just about anything.
Thank you for your comment and sharing your thoughts with us.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Lena
You are welcome. Thanks for your comment and support.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Christopher
That is what I say to WOW. We can do just about anything.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi J.D.
I thought the same thing when I first saw found this story. I didn’t know that it is possible for human to do echolocation. I guest it was just one more time that we were reminded: we can do just about anything.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
This is one of the most amazing things I’ve ever heard of. It just shows how little of our potential the rest of us are using. Imagine if we all developed all our senses to the degree this young man has…
People who can see are blind to the facts in life and yet here is a young man who can not see and yet is understanding to life and its ways. Powerful and wonderful story on Ben. thank you Giovanna to help us seeing ones to put it in perspective.
A story like that will quickly remove “I can’t” from ones vocabulary. It’s amazing what the human mind and resolve can accomplish. Kudos to the researchers, his parents, and the young man.
Hi John
Ben can see better than most people. He see everything that he does have to work with.
Thank you for your comment and sharing your wisdom with us.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Gennaro
I agreed with you, it is always amazing to me each time I learn about what is possible for us to do.
Thank you for your comment and sharing your thoughts.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Julian
If we all develope all our senses we can do just about anything. I believe most of us have not tapped into a lot of what is possible for us. THat is why Ben is such an inspiration.
Thank you for your comment and joining in the conversation.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Giovanna!
I love this story…particularly Ben’s words “I’m not blind…I just can’t see”
Who cannot possibly learn from those words? I know that I will walk away more grateful than I already am with Ben as my inspiration!
Thank you as always for heart-squeezing posts!:~)
Wow, Giovanna. That was some story and some video. And some kid and some mum! Thanks for sharing this. I’m humbled and moved. I have full sight and can’t do half those things as well as Ben can eg roller blading!
Hi Henie
Ben’s story is so amazing, that I think most of us feel the same way you do about it
Thank you for you comment and sharing your thoughts with us
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Daphne
They are something else
The world need to learn more about people like them, so that we will all know that each and everyone of us can do anything that we put our mind to.
Thank you for your comment and join in the conversation.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
IHi Gio .. I just think the internet is fantastic .. to be able to find these stories, publish them and let the world know what can be done ..
Ben is amazing & his ability to work his way round the challenge at such a young age is incredible .. I’m going to read his story to my mother .. she will be interested ..
Thanks so much - Hilary: Be Happy Be Positive
Hi Hilary
I have a feeling your mother would like Ben’s story
I am thankful for the internet.
Thanks for your comment and joining in the conversation.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Wow, Giovanna! This is an amazing story. Thank you so much for sharing!
Hi Emma
Ben’s story is very inspiring. Thanks for your comment and support.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
This was an amazing story, thanks for sharing it with me
Hi Craig
It is amazing what we human can do.
Thank you for your comment and sharing your thoughts.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
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