Source: Grant Holub-Moorman & Frank Stasio, WUNC, 11/2/20


While he sprints toward the sand pit, his coach shouts and claps to offer direction. 16 steps. That is all it takes before Lex Gillette flies. After losing his sight at age 8, Gillette found others’ expectations burdensome. From the classroom to the playground, he sought out adults who understood his extraordinary skills.  Growing up with a single mother who is also visually-impaired, Gillette had an obvious role model and supportive figure. Together, they chose for him to stay in public schools instead of joining specialized programming.

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