Unstoppable | The Vision Journey of Isaac Jean-Paul

From Diagnosis to Athletic Success what's going on guys it's your boy JP Isaac John Paul Stephanie I want to thank you so much for allowing me to be part of this month's bold blind Beauty men in motion for those who don't know I am a par Olympic track and field athlete and my vision Journey started once I joined the paral Olympics prior to then at the age of two I was diagnosed with juvenile retinosis juvenile retinosis is a eye condition where I have detached retinas and what the functions of the retinas are pretty much they're the signals that transfer the image from your eyes to your brain and so with me having detachments those signals are distorted that leavs me with 20% of my vision regardless of that I was able to have a successful athletic career despite my disability my athletic career was so successful people didn't know I had a visual impairment it was like I blended in I gravitated towards Sports because it was a place where I didn't have to worry about my disability nobody looked at me differently they just saw me as another player or another athlete a good one at that but in 2017 that's when Redefining Identity and Advocacy everything changed when I joined the par Olympics I was no longer that great athlete I was that blind great athlete the very thing that I defined my whole being about was stripped away from me and now I have this new title of being this blind athlete it didn't sit well with me I was uncomfortable I guess you can say I was just fighting the fact that I actually had a disability I started to see how people were more so focused on my disability than my actual ability to be a great athlete and when I realized that I realized it was was necessary to take action and be a advocate for those with disabilities and educating people that anyone can be great the way that they do it may be different it may be unorthodox it may not be the way that you could do it but if they can do it then why not now Chasing Dreams currently I'm an author I'm a writer I'm an advocate for those with disabilities and I'm currently still chasing my dreams of being and the first ever Paro Olympic gold medalist and Olympic gold medalist so keep your eyes out no pun attended but keep a lookout for your boy IP for this upcoming summer for the par Olympic Games in in Paris excuse me and also the Olympic Games in Paris I need all your support I need all the love all the prayers because I can't do this alone takes a community so let's do it this is IP and this is my vision Journey love and peace