Mason from Texas
Mason has Cobalamin C and it was discovered through the newborn blood screen process. His vision was perfectly normal when he was born, but macular degeneration started developing when he was one month old. I can very vividly remember the day when we were told that vision loss had started and that Mason was going to be legally blind. One of the first thoughts I had was that he’s not going to be able to do any of the fun things that kids get to do growing up. Looking back at all the amazing things Mason has done, that was a horrible, negative thought and couldn’t have been further from the truth.
My wife and I have always done our best to treat Mason the same way that we treat his older sister Madyson. We encourage them both to be active and find hobbies that they love to do. One of the benefits of raising our children in Wyoming is that the towns are close-knit communities; they support kids' sports, and are parent coached. Soccer is one of the first sports that kids can try, so of course we signed Mason up. We gave the city’s recreation center a heads up that Mason had low vision, and they asked if we needed to get special soccer balls that blinked light or make noise. Based on Mason’s vision and the fact that the soccer balls were bright yellow, we didn’t feel it was necessary, but it made us aware that there are always options out there. Mason had tons of fun playing soccer with his friends, and the coaches always made sure that he was included and got to play. They would even set things up so that he could score a goal.
Mason was also heavily involved in Cub Scouts in Wyoming. Like soccer, several of Mason’s friends and classmates joined Cub Scouts when he did. Scouts in Wyoming was a great experience and taught the kids a lot of great skills that they will use throughout their lives. Mason’s den leader did a phenomenal job making Mason feel involved. She would enlarge materials for him and always made sure he was
included in all the activities. Mason has earned his Arrow of Light, the highest award that a Cub Scout can earn, but he’s chosen not to move on and join the Boy Scout troop. Before he made that choice, we did some research. We found out that scouts with special needs can work with their council and build a plan with accommodations so that they can become Eagle Scouts. The process is very similar to the IEP process in school for setting accommodations and making sure that everyone is aware of them and most importantly making sure they are successful.
Our family has always been huge fans of baseball. In our small town of Wyoming there was an adaptive baseball program through Little League called the Challenger League. It is an adaptive baseball league for children and young adults with special needs. It’s a great experience because each player can
have helpers with them to help run the bases and play in the field. The helpers are usually volunteers from the baseball teams, softball teams, scouts, local honor societies, and many other local groups. They don’t keep score in the games, but they make sure that every player gets to bat and field the balls. The leader of the Challenger League found another special needs baseball program that had some other benefits including a field made with astro turf specifically designed for wheelchairs. Each year the Miracle League puts on an All-Star weekend and 2 players from each team are allowed to go. In 2025 Mason was able to represent Wyoming and it was an amazing time. The entire town of Covington, GA welcomed all the special needs families and made everyone feel so special. It is so amazing to watch these kids have so much fun playing America’s past time.
Taekwondo isn’t just about punching and kicking, it’s about being strong mentally and spiritually. Taekwondo isn’t about being the best in class, it’s about being the best that you can be. The students learned so much in those few short days, and it was truly inspiring to see what they were capable of. Kwan Jang Nim enjoyed his time so much with them that he started a class for these low vision students called the VIP class. Several of the students from the summer camp joined Taekwondo and are excelling with it. They are now integrated
In the summer of 2025, Mason found his passion. Mason’s Orientation and Mobility teacher held a summer camp for all the low vision kids in the district. They did amazing things like scavenger hunts at the local grocery store. They would find items on a grocery list and make sure they didn’t overspend their budget. It was great because it taught the low vision students critical life skills like scanning the aisles and shelves, something that we take for granted. One of the best things that they did in this low vision summer camp was a 30-minute taekwondo class each morning. Kwan Jang Nim (Grandmaster of ICON Martial Arts Academy) was honored to be able to have a Taekwondo class with these special students. He knew they would potentially have issues with balance, core strength and the ability to watch the demonstrations of the taekwondo techniques, but he adapted his training style and educated his assistant leaders on the best ways to teach these students.
into the adult class where they are learning forms and sparing with 4th degree black belts! I’ve watched Mason grow so much with his body control, self-confidence and determination. The VIP students have learned so much in such a short time and have advanced 3 belt levels! Life brings so many challenges on its own without the added complexities of living with low vision. I STRONGLY encourage everyone to let their kids try anything and everything they want to. You shouldn’t hold them back; they will blow you away at what they can do. There will be tough and challenging days, but watching your child succeed in something they love to do is one of the best feelings out there. I am extremely proud of all of Mason’s accomplishments and know that he can do anything he wants if he puts his mind to it.
Featured HCU Hero: June 2026
