Imagine being married to a woman whose face you’ve never seen. Or being called “daddy” by your son, and not knowing what he looks like. Imagine living every day without the blessing of sight—something that most of us take for granted without even realizing it.
That’s the reality for Gene Purdie, who was born with Stargardt’s disease. It’s an eye disease that effects the retina, and allows him to only see faint glimpses around the edges of whatever he looks at.
Though he was born with the condition, Gene wasn’t formally diagnosed until he was 16 years old. He went on to meet the love of his life, Joy, and after getting married, the two welcomed their son, Lincoln.