Visually-Impaired Persons
Jim Tiao
Jim Tiao has degenerative myopia (progressively worsening near-sightedness) but his vision was correctable with increasingly stronger glasses/contacts over the years. Around 2007, his vision began to worsen, he is now legally blind and adapting to his continuing vision loss by practicing the “7 Habits”, including being proactive, keeping the end in mind, and “sharpening the saw”.
Having to give up volleyball, skiing, and tennis, Jim was looking for another sport to stay active and improve his independence. He joined Blindstart in 2015, inspired by a team made of many visually impaired paddlers that competes against other dragon boat teams in the open divisions. Jim enjoys being part of a team again, with its weekly practices, competing in the various DB festivals, and being an advocate for the blind in the DB and broader community. Paddles Up!