BLIND BUT NOT OUT ...Man who loses sight after being shot by thugs fights back

Twelve years ago, while on his way to work as a delivery man for a food company in Kingston, Nigel Webster had a terrible encounter which changed his life forever. Armed robbers attacked the taxi in which he was travelling and sprayed it with bullets, one of which lodged in his head, leaving him blind in both eyes.

Despite meeting such misfortune at just 24 years old, Webster has refused to become a burden to others, and is determined to make something of himself. He plans to open his own craft business selling his wares and teaching the skill to others.

"Mi no like fi walk and beg a man out deh because when you do that a man can deal with you any way. Any word, nasty word, come a them mouth, them tell you. Mi no like dem things deh," Webster said.

He told THE STAR that initially, it was incredibly difficult to come to terms with his reality but he pushed on.

"Mi did a worry about it. It's hard to know that you are somebody that was seeing and living your life alright enough, and fi this reach me," Webster said.

"After about one month, me come out a hospital and deh home. Mi neva really used to come out because me realise say me couldn't move around by meslef. Countless time me would walk and lick up inna light post, and step inna hole."

sought assistance

The Waltham Park, Kingston, resident said he depended on his parents and close friends for survival, but he soon realised that he needed to do something for himself.

"One of mi friends look pon me and tell mi say mi need fi get a skill as a blind man to have my own because people will get fed up of me. Mi nah lie, me go home and start bawl," Webster admitted.

Webster, who became a Christian shortly after being discharged from hospital, said he sought assistance from his pastor, who referred him to Jamaica Society For the Blind. It was there that he learned to use the cane to walk and adjust to life as a blind man.

From there, he got enrolled into a craft school, where he learned to use wicker and cords to make various household items including waste baskets, fruit baskets, waiters, and chairs.

Today, the 36 year old is in a craft school honing his skills and hopes to establish his own business soon.

In the meantime, he plies his community and downtown, Kingston selling saving pans.

"I walk around and collect the empty cheese pans, and baby feed pans. I have a friend in downtown Kingston that I pay to put the covers on them, and I just walk around and sell them," he explained, noting that selling on the streets as a blind man comes with its challenges.

man rob me

"Sometimes a man rob me and take my own, but that no really trouble me because the Lord is there and him see everything. One time a guy thief one of me pan from me and mi no bother make no noise. Mi just make him gwaan. As soon me reach around the corner about three people call me and just give me a money," he recalled.

For persons using their physical disabilities as an excuse to give up and become dependent on others, Webster advised, "It much better fi you do you own little thing. There is nuff other little things wha a man can go out there and do because if you keep on a depend pon people, them ago get tired a you."

Persosn interested in assisting Webster to accomplish his dreams of establishing his own business may contact him at 1876 426 2807.