Our NewsDepth A+ this week takes us to Boise, Idaho where a blind exchange student from Sierra Leone... now has the gift of sight.
--REPORTER PKG-AS FOLLOWS--
AS JOSEPH SESAY WALKED TO CLASS AT BOISE HIGH SCHOOL....
THERE WAS SOMETHING NOTABLY MISSING FROM HIS DAILY OUTFIT... HIS WALKING CANE..
WHEN WE TALKED TO JOSEPH LAST WEDNESDAY. HE TOLD US ONE OF HIS FAVORITE SONGS WAS AMAZING GRACE
AND JUST AS THE SONG GOES.. JOSEPH WAS BLIND.. BUT NOW HE SEES...
(Robb Thompson/Principal)
"It's a miracle...I mean it really is a miracle... he left Thursday night.. blind.. and he was at school Monday with vision. To me that astounding"
JUST DAYS AFTER SURGERY TO REMOVE CONGENITAL CATARACTS.. HE HAS A WHOLE NEW WORLD TO DISCOVER
(Joseph Sesay/Exchange Student)
"I have got to learn so many things... yellow red green blue.. I'm seeing them brighter than I thought they should be."
AFTER YEARS OF HAVING TO IMAGINE WHAT THINGS LOOKED LIKE.. HE'S NOW ABLE TO SEE THEM.. .
HE WAS TAKEN ABACK AT LOOKING AT A LEAF FOR THE FIRST TIME
(Joseph Sesay/Exchange Student)
"I was always expecting that when it was night time you cannot see anything but I raised my head up on saturday and I could see the sky.. some parts are dark... my host dad told me that was the rain settling in the clouds.."
JOSEPH WAS ABLE TO PICK OUT HIS OUTFIT FOR SCHOOL.. HIS FAVORITE COLORS.
AND HE WAS EVEN ABLE TO LOOK AT HIMSELF
(Joseph Sesay/Exchange Student)
"So for the first day when I saw myself I thought I was.. I was ..really really really black.. (laughs)"
HE SAYS HE CANT WAIT TO LEARN TO READ.... SEE THE FACE OF HIS PARENTS... AND SEE ANIMALS LIKE LIONS, ELEPHANTS AND COWS
RIGHT NOW HE SAYS HE IS OVERWHELMED
(Joseph Sesay/Exchange Student)
"I think I'm am going to be very patient.. I'm not going to rush things"
JOSEPH WANTS TO BE A TEACHER.. ANY MAYBE EVEN PRESIDENT OF SIERRA LEONE.
AND HAVING HIS VISION IS ONLY GOING TO MAKE HIS GOALS EASIER
AND AS MUCH AS THE COMMUNITY HAS RALLIED AROUND JOSEPH TO HELP HIM WITH HIS VISION, THE PRINCIPLE SAYS HE HAS MADE THE SCHOOL A BETTER PLACE..
(Robb Thompson/Principal)
"He's changed Boise High..he really has.. I think it's been a mutually beneficial relationship "