[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.00,0:00:02.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm actually going to share something with you
Dialogue: 0,0:00:02.00,0:00:05.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I haven't talked about probably in more than 10 years.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:05.00,0:00:07.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So bear with me
Dialogue: 0,0:00:07.00,0:00:09.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as I take you through this journey.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:09.00,0:00:11.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When I was 22 years old,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.00,0:00:14.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I came home from work, put a leash on my dog
Dialogue: 0,0:00:14.00,0:00:17.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and went for my usual run.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.00,0:00:19.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I had no idea that at that moment
Dialogue: 0,0:00:19.00,0:00:21.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,my life was going to change forever.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:21.00,0:00:24.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,While I was preparing my dog for the run,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:24.00,0:00:28.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a man was finishing drinking at a bar,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:28.00,0:00:30.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,picked up his car keys, got into a car
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.00,0:00:32.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and headed south,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:32.00,0:00:34.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or wherever he was.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:34.00,0:00:36.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I was running across the street,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:36.00,0:00:38.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the only thing that I actually remember
Dialogue: 0,0:00:38.00,0:00:41.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is feeling like a grenade went off in my head.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:41.00,0:00:45.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I remember putting my hands on the ground
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.00,0:00:47.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and feeling my life's blood
Dialogue: 0,0:00:47.00,0:00:49.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,emptying out of my neck
Dialogue: 0,0:00:49.00,0:00:52.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and my mouth.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:52.00,0:00:54.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What had happened
Dialogue: 0,0:00:54.00,0:00:57.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is he ran a red light and hit me and my dog.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:57.00,0:01:00.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She ended up underneath the car.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.00,0:01:02.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I flew out in front of the car,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:02.00,0:01:04.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then he ran over my legs.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:04.00,0:01:06.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My left leg got caught up in the wheel well --
Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.00,0:01:08.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,spun it around.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:10.00,0:01:13.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The bumper of the car hit my throat,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:13.00,0:01:15.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,slicing it open.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:15.00,0:01:18.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I ended up with blunt chest trauma.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:18.00,0:01:20.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Your aorta comes up behind your heart.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:20.00,0:01:23.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's your major artery, and it was severed,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:23.00,0:01:26.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so my blood was gurgling out of my mouth.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:26.00,0:01:28.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It foamed,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:28.00,0:01:30.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and horrible things were happening to me.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:32.00,0:01:34.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I had no idea what was going on,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:34.00,0:01:37.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but strangers intervened,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:37.00,0:01:40.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,kept my heart moving, beating.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:40.00,0:01:42.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I say moving because it was quivering
Dialogue: 0,0:01:42.00,0:01:45.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they were trying to put a beat back into it.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:45.00,0:01:48.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Somebody was smart and put a Bic pen in my neck
Dialogue: 0,0:01:48.00,0:01:51.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to open up my airway so that I could get some air in there.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:51.00,0:01:53.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And my lung collapsed,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:53.00,0:01:56.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so somebody cut me open and put a pin in there as well
Dialogue: 0,0:01:56.00,0:02:03.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to stop that catastrophic event from happening.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:03.00,0:02:05.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Somehow I ended up at the hospital.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:05.00,0:02:07.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I was wrapped in ice
Dialogue: 0,0:02:07.00,0:02:11.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then eventually put into a drug-induced coma.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:11.00,0:02:15.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,18 months later I woke up.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:15.00,0:02:17.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I was blind, I couldn't speak,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:17.00,0:02:19.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I couldn't walk.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:19.00,0:02:22.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I was 64 lbs.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:25.00,0:02:27.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The hospital really has no idea
Dialogue: 0,0:02:27.00,0:02:29.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what to do with people like that.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:29.00,0:02:32.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And in fact, they started to call me a Gomer.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:32.00,0:02:36.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's another story we won't even get into.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:36.00,0:02:39.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I had so many surgeries to put my neck back together,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:39.00,0:02:41.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to repair my heart a few times.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:41.00,0:02:43.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some things worked, some things didn't.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:43.00,0:02:45.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I had lots of titanium put in me,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:45.00,0:02:47.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,cadaver bones
Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.00,0:02:50.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to try to get my feet moving the right way.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.00,0:02:52.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I ended up with a plastic nose, porcelain teeth
Dialogue: 0,0:02:52.00,0:02:54.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and all kinds of other things.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:54.00,0:02:57.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But eventually I started to look human again.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:03.00,0:03:05.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But it's hard sometimes to talk about these things,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:05.00,0:03:08.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so bear with me.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:08.00,0:03:10.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I had more than 50 surgeries.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:10.00,0:03:13.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But who's counting?
Dialogue: 0,0:03:13.00,0:03:15.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So eventually, the hospital decided
Dialogue: 0,0:03:15.00,0:03:17.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it was time for me to go.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:17.00,0:03:19.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They needed to open up space
Dialogue: 0,0:03:19.00,0:03:23.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for somebody else that they thought could come back
Dialogue: 0,0:03:23.00,0:03:26.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from whatever they were going through.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:26.00,0:03:29.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Everybody lost faith in me being able to recover.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:29.00,0:03:32.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So they basically put a map up on the wall, threw a dart,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:32.00,0:03:37.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it landed at a senior home here in Colorado.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:37.00,0:03:39.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I know all of you are scratching your head:
Dialogue: 0,0:03:39.00,0:03:42.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"A senior citizens' home? What in the world are you going to do there?"
Dialogue: 0,0:03:42.00,0:03:44.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But if you think about
Dialogue: 0,0:03:44.00,0:03:47.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,all of the skills and talent that are in this room right now,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:47.00,0:03:49.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that's what a senior home has.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:49.00,0:03:51.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So there were all these skills and talents
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.00,0:03:54.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that these seniors had.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:54.00,0:03:56.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The one advantage that they had over most of you
Dialogue: 0,0:03:56.00,0:03:58.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is wisdom,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:58.00,0:04:01.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because they had a long life.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:01.00,0:04:03.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I needed that wisdom at that moment in my life.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:03.00,0:04:05.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But imagine what it was like for them
Dialogue: 0,0:04:05.00,0:04:08.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when I showed up at their doorstep?
Dialogue: 0,0:04:08.00,0:04:10.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,At that point, I had gained four pounds,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:10.00,0:04:12.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so I was 68 lbs.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:12.00,0:04:14.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I was bald.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:14.00,0:04:16.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I was wearing hospital scrubs.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:16.00,0:04:19.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And somebody donated tennis shoes for me.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.00,0:04:22.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I had a white cane in one hand
Dialogue: 0,0:04:22.00,0:04:25.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and a suitcase full of medical records in another hand.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:25.00,0:04:28.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so the senior citizens realized
Dialogue: 0,0:04:28.00,0:04:30.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that they needed to have an emergency meeting.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:30.00,0:04:32.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:04:32.00,0:04:35.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So they pulled back and they were looking at each other,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:35.00,0:04:39.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they were going, "Okay, what skills do we have in this room?
Dialogue: 0,0:04:39.00,0:04:42.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This kid needs a lot of work."
Dialogue: 0,0:04:42.00,0:04:44.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So they eventually started
Dialogue: 0,0:04:44.00,0:04:46.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,matching their talents and skills
Dialogue: 0,0:04:46.00,0:04:48.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to all of my needs.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:48.00,0:04:50.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But one of the first things they needed to do
Dialogue: 0,0:04:50.00,0:04:52.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was assess what I needed right away.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:52.00,0:04:54.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I needed to figure out
Dialogue: 0,0:04:54.00,0:04:56.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,how to eat like a normal human being,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:56.00,0:04:59.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,since I'd been eating through a tube in my chest
Dialogue: 0,0:04:59.00,0:05:01.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and through my veins.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:01.00,0:05:04.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I had to go through trying to eat again.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:04.00,0:05:06.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And they went through that process.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:06.00,0:05:08.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then they had to figure out:
Dialogue: 0,0:05:08.00,0:05:10.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Well she needs furniture.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:10.00,0:05:13.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She is sleeping in the corner of this apartment."
Dialogue: 0,0:05:13.00,0:05:15.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So they went to their storage lockers
Dialogue: 0,0:05:15.00,0:05:17.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and all gathered their extra furniture --
Dialogue: 0,0:05:17.00,0:05:20.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,gave me pots and pans, blankets,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:20.00,0:05:23.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,everything.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:23.00,0:05:25.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then the next thing that I needed
Dialogue: 0,0:05:25.00,0:05:28.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was a makeover.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:28.00,0:05:30.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So out went the green scrubs
Dialogue: 0,0:05:30.00,0:05:33.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and in came the polyester and floral prints.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:33.00,0:05:36.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:05:38.00,0:05:41.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We're not going to talk about the hairstyles that they tried to force on me
Dialogue: 0,0:05:41.00,0:05:43.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,once my hair grew back.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:43.00,0:05:45.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But I did say no to the blue hair.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:45.00,0:05:48.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:05:49.00,0:05:52.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So eventually what went on
Dialogue: 0,0:05:52.00,0:05:55.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is they decided that, well I need to learn to speak.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:55.00,0:05:57.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So you can't be an independent person
Dialogue: 0,0:05:57.00,0:06:00.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if you're not able to speak and can't see.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:00.00,0:06:03.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So they figured not being able to see is one thing,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:03.00,0:06:05.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but they need to get me to talk.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:05.00,0:06:08.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So while Sally, the office manager,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:08.00,0:06:10.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was teaching me to speak in the day --
Dialogue: 0,0:06:10.00,0:06:12.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's hard, because when you're a kid,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:12.00,0:06:14.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you take things for granted.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:14.00,0:06:16.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You learn things unconsciously.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:16.00,0:06:19.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But for me, I was an adult and it was embarrassing,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:19.00,0:06:21.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I had to learn how to coordinate
Dialogue: 0,0:06:21.00,0:06:23.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,my new throat with my tongue
Dialogue: 0,0:06:23.00,0:06:26.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and my new teeth and my lips,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:26.00,0:06:29.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and capture the air and get the word out.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:29.00,0:06:31.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I acted like a two-year-old
Dialogue: 0,0:06:31.00,0:06:33.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and refused to work.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:33.00,0:06:36.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But the men had a better idea.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:36.00,0:06:38.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They were going to make it fun for me.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:38.00,0:06:42.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So they were teaching me cuss word Scrabble at night,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:42.00,0:06:46.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:06:46.00,0:06:48.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then, secretly,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:48.00,0:06:51.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,how to swear like a sailor.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:51.00,0:06:55.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I'm going to just leave it to your imagination
Dialogue: 0,0:06:55.00,0:06:59.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as to what my first words were
Dialogue: 0,0:06:59.00,0:07:02.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when Sally finally got my confidence built.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:02.00,0:07:04.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:07:04.00,0:07:06.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I moved on from there.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:06.00,0:07:09.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And a former teacher who happened to have Alzheimer's
Dialogue: 0,0:07:09.00,0:07:13.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,took on the task of teaching me to write.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:13.00,0:07:15.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The redundancy was actually good for me.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:15.00,0:07:17.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So we'll just keep moving on.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:17.00,0:07:22.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:07:23.00,0:07:26.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One of the pivotal times for me
Dialogue: 0,0:07:26.00,0:07:29.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was actually learning to cross a street again
Dialogue: 0,0:07:29.00,0:07:31.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as a blind person.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:31.00,0:07:34.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So close your eyes.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:34.00,0:07:36.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now imagine you have to cross a street.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:36.00,0:07:40.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You don't know how far that street is
Dialogue: 0,0:07:40.00,0:07:43.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you don't know if you're going straight
Dialogue: 0,0:07:43.00,0:07:46.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you hear cars whizzing back and forth,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:46.00,0:07:48.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you had a horrible accident
Dialogue: 0,0:07:48.00,0:07:51.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that landed you in this situation.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:51.00,0:07:54.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So there were two obstacles I had to get through.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:54.00,0:07:57.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One was post-traumatic stress disorder.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:57.00,0:08:01.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And every time I approached the corner or the curb
Dialogue: 0,0:08:01.00,0:08:03.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I would panic.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:03.00,0:08:05.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the second one
Dialogue: 0,0:08:05.00,0:08:08.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was actually trying to figure out how to cross that street.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:08.00,0:08:11.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So one of the seniors just came up to me,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:11.00,0:08:14.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and she pushed me up to the corner and she said,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:14.00,0:08:17.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"When you think it's time to go, just stick the cane out there.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:17.00,0:08:19.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If it's hit, don't cross the street."
Dialogue: 0,0:08:19.00,0:08:24.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:08:24.00,0:08:27.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Made perfect sense.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:27.00,0:08:29.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But by the third cane
Dialogue: 0,0:08:29.00,0:08:32.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that went whizzing across the road,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:32.00,0:08:35.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they realized that they needed to put the resources together,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:35.00,0:08:37.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they raised funds
Dialogue: 0,0:08:37.00,0:08:39.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so that I could go to the Braille Institute
Dialogue: 0,0:08:39.00,0:08:41.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and actually gain the skills
Dialogue: 0,0:08:41.00,0:08:43.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to be a blind person,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:43.00,0:08:45.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and also to go get a guide dog
Dialogue: 0,0:08:45.00,0:08:47.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who transformed my life.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:47.00,0:08:49.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I was able to return to college
Dialogue: 0,0:08:49.00,0:08:53.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because of the senior citizens who invested in me,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:53.00,0:08:57.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and also the guide dog and skill set I had gained.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:57.00,0:08:59.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,10 years later I gained my sight back.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:59.00,0:09:01.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Not magically.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:01.00,0:09:04.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I opted in for three surgeries,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:04.00,0:09:06.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and one of them was experimental.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:06.00,0:09:08.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It was actually robotic surgery.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:08.00,0:09:11.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They removed a hematoma from behind my eye.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:12.00,0:09:14.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The biggest change for me
Dialogue: 0,0:09:14.00,0:09:17.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was that the world moved forward,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:17.00,0:09:19.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that there were innovations
Dialogue: 0,0:09:19.00,0:09:21.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and all kinds of new things --
Dialogue: 0,0:09:21.00,0:09:23.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,cellphones, laptops,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:23.00,0:09:26.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,all these things that I had never seen before.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:26.00,0:09:28.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And as a blind person,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:28.00,0:09:30.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,your visual memory fades
Dialogue: 0,0:09:30.00,0:09:33.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and is replaced with how you feel about things
Dialogue: 0,0:09:33.00,0:09:36.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and how things sound
Dialogue: 0,0:09:36.00,0:09:39.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and how things smell.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:39.00,0:09:41.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So one day I was in my room
Dialogue: 0,0:09:41.00,0:09:43.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I saw this thing sitting in my room
Dialogue: 0,0:09:43.00,0:09:45.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I thought it was a monster.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:45.00,0:09:47.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I was walking around it.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:47.00,0:09:49.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I go, "I'm just going to touch it."
Dialogue: 0,0:09:49.00,0:09:51.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I touched it and I went,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:51.00,0:09:53.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Oh my God, it's a laundry basket."
Dialogue: 0,0:09:53.00,0:09:57.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:09:57.00,0:09:59.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So everything is different
Dialogue: 0,0:09:59.00,0:10:01.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when you're a sighted person
Dialogue: 0,0:10:01.00,0:10:03.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because you take that for granted.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:03.00,0:10:05.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But when you're blind,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:05.00,0:10:08.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you have the tactile memory for things.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:08.00,0:10:11.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The biggest change for me was looking down at my hands
Dialogue: 0,0:10:11.00,0:10:15.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and seeing that I'd lost 10 years of my life.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:15.00,0:10:18.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I thought that time had stood still for some reason
Dialogue: 0,0:10:18.00,0:10:20.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and moved on for family and friends.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:20.00,0:10:22.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But when I looked down,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:22.00,0:10:24.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I realized that time marched on for me too
Dialogue: 0,0:10:24.00,0:10:26.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that I needed to get caught up,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:26.00,0:10:28.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so I got going on it.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:28.00,0:10:32.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We didn't have words like crowd-sourcing and radical collaboration
Dialogue: 0,0:10:32.00,0:10:34.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when I had my accident.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:34.00,0:10:36.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But the concept held true --
Dialogue: 0,0:10:36.00,0:10:39.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,people working with people to rebuild me;
Dialogue: 0,0:10:39.00,0:10:41.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,people working with people to re-educate me.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:41.00,0:10:43.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I wouldn't be standing here today
Dialogue: 0,0:10:43.00,0:10:47.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if it wasn't for extreme radical collaboration.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:47.00,0:10:49.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thank you so much.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:49.00,0:10:51.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Applause)