John Samuel — the CEO and co-founder of Durham-based disability inclusion and digital accessibility company Ablr — recently released his memoir, “Don’t Ask the Blind Guy for Directions: A 30,000-Mile Journey for Love, Confidence, and a Sense of Belonging.”
When John was in college, he was diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease — and he didn’t tell his friends, professors, or employers for 17 years. But he continued to chase his dreams.
John’s book details his journey of perseverance after losing his eyesight, including how he embraced his disability and traveled 30,000 miles around the world. His search for a career and love took him to places like India, Cameroon, and Uganda before he ended up back in the Triangle.
“I hope that my story of traveling the world and finding my way back home to the Raleigh area encourages people to keep moving forward, even when things seem bleak, and to see what is possible when you embrace your whole self,” John told RALtoday.
Read or listen to John’s book here . Bonus: Watch his TedxRaleigh presentation .