He Didn’t See Joy
Gene was completely blind by the time he had met Joy, who he would later go on to marry. Joy recalled the moment when she saw Gene for the first time, “I kept waving at him, and he just kept passing by.” Joy was unaware at the time of Gene’s disability and she assumed that he didn’t like her at all. All she could tell from his gestures was that he seemed interested but she would later find out the reason behind his odd behavior.
Getting Along
Joy and Gene were enrolled in the same course during their college education and they shared the same class as well. When the two met for the first time and exchanged a few words, it was the time when Joy came to know about Gene’s disability. It was only a matter of days and the two bonded really well. They eventually started dating each other and the lovebirds were having the time of the life. After scoring their graduation degrees, the couple decided to take their relationship to the next level.
They Got Married!
Gene and Joy were madly in love and the two were now ready to take a major step that would only strengthen their relationship. Their compatibility was unbeaten and they decided to get married. Despite all the struggles that Gene had to suffer with, he had found himself a woman who loved him unconditionally and she never let his disability act as a hindrance in their relationship.
The Perfect Family
One of the very first dream that a couple cherishes together is to bring forth a child. After a few years of their marriage, the couple was finally ready to add a member to their family. They later became proud parents of a little boy whom they named Lincoln. Life sure doesn’t sound that bad for Gene, but you’ ll be surprised to know that Gene had never seen his son or his wife by now and all he could see was just a blurry image. However, his life would take a 180 when he least expected it.
A Great Chef
Gene was a foodie ever since he was a teen and not only did he like finishing his meal, he liked cooking his meals well. It was one of his favorite pass times and he loved exploring and trying new recipes and different cuisines. But things changed after some time as his disability was stopping him in many ways but his wife had come up with a great hack that made things much easier for Gene.
Gene Wasn’t Different
We need to understand the fact that Gene was suffering from Stargardt’s disease and his vision was blurry instead of a total blackout. Despite his disability, he relied on an easy yet effective way to see words clearly. His wife advised him to use his cellphone and the idea did seem to work. Gene would simply zoom into books by using his phone’s camera and he got back to cooking and being a great chef. He would surprise his wife with the new recipes that he learned but the family was yet to receive the surprise of their life.