TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) - Kiersten McCans of Crawfordville says she may have a visual impairment, but she doesn't let it slow her down. She likes cheerleading and horseback riding.
"Nystagmus makes my eye dart around while I'm trying to focus," said McCans.
She spoke in front of crowd at Florida State University. The 10-year-old advocate said in her speech her life and the lives of others can be on equal ground. It was all a part of the Florida Division of Blind Services' 75th Anniversary and White Cane Safety Day Ceremony and Expo. Another man told his inspiring story as well. He was involved in a shooting nearly 20 years ago and became blind.
"My message is really comprised of three things: persevering, positive attitude and setting goals, " said Dave Bigoney, a Tallahassee resident. "Just know if there is a way to do it, you can probably get it done."
He's finished many triathlons with a sighted guide.
"We are tethered with a bungee cord in the swim," said Bigoney. "We bike using a tandem bike. I sit in the back he never lets me drive, and then when we run. I wear a tether around my waist, and I run beside my guide. He or she generally tell me we're going to turn left we're going to turn right."
Bigoney is a history maker being the first blind individual to complete an Ironman Triathlon.
National White Cane Safety Day is Saturday. It honors the successes achieved by people who are blind.
It's a day also used to educate people on the white cane law which requires drivers to stop when a pedestrian is carrying a white cane or using a guide dog to cross the street.
