Aaron's Road to Independence

Hi! My name is Lindsey, and Aaron is my boyfriend. He is the best father and boyfriend. He is resilient and simply amazing. I am proud to share his story with you.

Hi, my name is Aaron Emery, and I live in Hamden, CT, with my girlfriend Lindsey and my dog, Max. On June 13, 2019, I was in a terrible car accident that left me completely blind. The driver ran a red light which caused me to collide with him, resulting in multiple impacts to the dashboard and windshield of my car. This impact led me to acquire a traumatic brain injury, amongst other things. I was in a coma for 30 days and woke up to learn I was blind. During the coma, I had to undergo multiple brain surgeries. In addition, I’ve had multiple facial reconstructive surgeries, as every bone in my face was fractured in the accident. After about two and a half months at Yale New Haven Hospital, I spent a few weeks at a Yale-affiliated rehabilitation center; the time at the rehab center helped me learn how to navigate with a cane and with the assistance of a supportive individual.

Unfortunately, no surgery can repair an optic nerve. However, assistive technology could improve my quality of life and increase my independence. Becoming blind, as you can imagine, is a life-altering experience. It is nearly impossible to find the words to describe the profound impact it has had on my day-to-day life. I will graciously and humbly say that it has increased my resilience and desire to be greater, stronger, and more determined every day. Sure, I was challenged by having to learn the world in a whole new way, but I was not defeated, and my spirit was not broken.

I have four children who depend on me as a father and mentor; they range from 6-21. While my accident has certainly altered their lives, I have remained committed to being active in everything they do and teaching them that self-determination and willpower can prevail even in the most challenging circumstances.

With a strong support system wrapped around me, I could maintain and reboot the small business I owned before the accident. It remains important to me to be a provider to my family and continue to demonstrate to my children that my life and my career have not ended due to becoming blind. In fact, it has ultimately challenged me to find new ways to be emotionally, mentally, and physically healthier.

The assistive technology comes in the form of a device called Orcam, myeyes pro. This device is a smart camera that attaches to virtually any glasses frame. The Orcam MyEyes Pro will read printed and digital text aloud from any surface. It can also recognize faces, products, money notes and more, all in real-time.

I have an enormous amount of gratitude for my life and for being given this opportunity to share my story with you. Thank you for your time and I hope you will be able to attend a fundraiser that will be held in Hamden, CT. All proceeds will go directly towards the purchase of the Orcam MyEyes Pro.

For those of you who would like to search the product, it can be found here: https://www.orcam.com/en/myeye2/

We have also posted information about an in-person fundraiser being held at the American Legion in Hamden, CT on November 11, 2022. Tickets can be purchased through Lindsey or Aaron.