Ep 005: Daniel Kish - Blindness Does Not Define a Person

Daniel Kish is an expert in human echolocation. He serves as the President of World Access for the Blind (WAFTB), a California-based nonprofit that he founded in 2000. Through WAFTB, Kish and acquaintances work with unsighted and blind children across the globe--since its establishment in 2000, they have taught 500 kids the art of echolocation as a means of moving through the world. Kish, whose story gained traction after he was featured on an NPR recording, underwent surgery at just 13 months old to remove his eyes, a result of having eye cancer. He holds master's degrees in developmental psychology and special education.

Tristan was first introduced to Daniel Kish through the soundwaves of an podcast episode. he heard in 2015 on NPR (This American Life #544: January 9, 2015 - Batman) The story of the real-life "blind Batman" lodged itself in his psyche, imprinting onto his subconscious--as a father seeking to raise a son who determines his own dreams and destiny, Tristan often thought back to the blind boy mentioned, the one who taught himself echolocation.