40-year-old man leads active life despite being blind

If you are a rookie at playing dominoes, then you should never accept a challenge from Daemion 'Optical' McLean because he will have you feeling useless within minutes of playing.

The bubbly man laughed THE WEEKEND STAR team to scorn after he effortlessly drops a 'six love'. However, dominoes is not the only thing that McLean is winning. Despite being blind, the 40-year-old said that he is living a fulfilling life.

McLean was born with glaucoma in both eyes, but didn't lose his sight until he was about seven years old. He told THE WEEKEND STAR that being blind does not limit him, as he has lived a normal life and credits his loved ones for his success.

The father of two was born in Catherine Hall, Montego Bay, but relocated to the Corporate Area as a youth to attend the Salvation Army School for the Blind in St Andrew, followed by Calabar High School. His would later enroll at the University of the West Indies (UWI) where he received a degree in social work.

"I used to go to Catherine Hall Primary for little while, and that was where a lot of teasing took place. It was at that time that I realised what I was up against. Throughout high school, I never allowed myself to be subjected to bullying of any form. When I just got to Calabar, there were boys who everyone would label as bullies, but they never bothered me. I played a lot of sports during high school and my university years, including tennis, football and cricket. I am usually the goalkeeper or playing as a defender," he said.

GAINFULLY EMPLOYED

For the past 13 years, McLean has been gainfully employed at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. He has held the post of enterprise and career development officer for the past seven years.

He, however, said that he is one of the lucky ones, as there are a lot of disabled persons who lack opportunities.

"Unemployment is still a major issue within the disabled community. There needs to be more facilities that cater to them. There are a lot of roadways and sidewalks that are being done now, but they need to consider the disabled when doing these things. You can't be doing a sidewalk and have trees planted in the middle of them. That don't make any sense," he said.

McLean said that he is also concerned about the way in which some 'able' persons view the disability community.

"There also needs to be a change of attitude towards the community because people's attitude towards us is sometimes very rotten. Disabled persons who live in rural Jamaica sometimes have it harder than those living in the urban area because persons living in urban areas are more sensitive towards them. In rural areas, the cultures and facilities are really different. These are just a few of the challenges that need to be addressed," he said.