LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — In this week's Veterans Voice, we explore one man's mission to help blind veterans in our community.
Joe Tasby is a Vietnam veteran who served with the Marines. He says the war was a very challenging and trying time.
Years later - once he was out of the military - he began to lose his eyesight. And unfortunately, later, he was declared legally blind.
Tasby says his vision is limited to tunnel vision without peripheral vision. He was working as a graphic artist but couldn't continue.
"Losing my sight meant I was losing my field and my profession. So, it wasn't easy to accept. It took a while, a long while for me to accept to deal with it," said Tasby.
But once he was able to cope, he says he decided to shift his career path and focus on helping veterans.
Currently, he is the president of the Blinded Veterans Association for the Southern Nevada regional group.
The group connects blind veterans with resources such as transportation, food, and more.
"It's difficult to find yourself blind and feel like you're alone. And we don't want that. We want veterans who have a visual impairment to know that there are people out there with the same ailment and are capable, willing and able to assist them in whatever they may need," Tasby said.
He says the association is there to help, and they're eager to get the word out.
More on Blinded Veterans Association is available here.
