Christina: [00:00:00] Welcome to the taking the lead podcast, where we empower people to be unstoppable. I'm Christina Hepner with my cohost, Leslie Hoskins and Timothy Cuneio. Like I said, I'm Christina Hepner and I am the digital marketing manager here at leader dogs for the blind and a little bit about my background and why I'm doing this [00:00:20] podcast is I was in media television news for about five to six years.
I was an anchor reporter producer. So I have that backround of asking questions and telling stories. And currently I started at leader dog this year, so I'm very new to the organization. And so I'm learning about the blindness [00:00:40] community right along with you. And my background also is in journalism. I went to school for journalism, with a focus in broadcast.
And so I'm really excited to be a part of this podcast to be learning. I've already learned it so much at my little time here at leader dogs, but I'm going to be learning more right along with you. And I've gotten to meet Leslie, [00:01:00] who is my co-worker and she's taught me so much. And so let's hear about her background.
Leslie: I am Leslie Hoskins. I am the outreach services and community engagement manager at leader dogs for the blind. I'm also a certified orientation and mobility specialist. So that's actually how I got started with leader dog. [00:01:20] About seven years ago as a, what we call a coms. And I was working with individuals who are blind or visually impaired and teaching them how to travel with the long cane.
I did that at leader dog for about six years before switching into this new role of outreach. And I'm honored to be the outreach manager. I absolutely love it. It's the best of [00:01:40] both worlds. Not only do I still get to work with clients one-on-one. And get out there in the streets and travel and teach clients how to travel independently.
But now I also get to share that message and mission of leader dogs. So I get to go out into the community. I get to go speak at different engagements and really share what we do and the services that we provide. So I'm honored [00:02:00] to be a part of this podcast. I think we're going to have a lot of fun.
We're going to share a lot of stories of different clients and kind of all aspects of leader, dog. Uh, but first up, of course, we have to introduce our other co-hosts Timothy Cuneio. So, Timothy, do you want to share a little bit about your.
Timothy: Yes again, my name's Timothy Cuneio. I live in the great state of Georgia.
I'm a client of both [00:02:20] O and M and I have a guide dog. Her name is glacier. I have retinitis pigmentosa. So I have 3% of my vision in my right eye. And I'm, I'm excited about this podcast to share my experiences of what I went through through my life and what I went through with going to leader dog. So it's a great story and a great organization, and I'm [00:02:40] very happy to be associated with.
Leslie: Awesome. Thanks Timothy. We're, we're pumped to have you here with us. So this podcast, like we've all kind of mentioned. We're really going to be sharing stories and the leader, dog mission with everyone. We were on a talk about blindness in general and educate others on what blindness is and how it affects people differently.
Um, our goal, our goal at [00:03:00] leader dog is to empower people who are blind or visually impaired to travel independently. Daily. That means simple tasks of getting from the door to the mailbox, getting to the coffee shop, getting to the bank, all of those little things that a lot of us take for granted on a daily basis.
So we want to break down some of those stories and experiences of our clients. But [00:03:20] today we're going to start with just talking about Timothy story so that we can get to know him a little bit more and kind of his journey through.
Christina: Yes. And we're so excited, Timothy, to learn more about your story. I'm excited to learn more about it because I am new to the organization.
So Timothy, I mean you, when did you first [00:03:40] learn that you were losing your vision?
Timothy: Well, when I was younger, um, I couldn't see in the dark. And my parents, his parents were, was noticing that. And so about 12 years old, they'd decided to take me to an ophthalmologist and the ophthalmologist determined at that time that had retinitis pigmentosa, and he gave me a 50% chance of going blind.
[00:04:00] So I started off real early in my, uh, life knowing about it.
Leslie: So when you were diagnosed, Timothy, did you know what retinitis pigmentosa was? Had you heard of that before? Or was this all brand new to
Timothy: you? It was all brand new. Leslie. Most of my research happened, you know, later in 18, 19, 20 years old, when it really [00:04:20] started affecting my life and, uh, really was brand new at it.
And I saw my cousins that were kind of having issues, but I didn't really associate enough with them to ask them questions about it.
Christina: Timothy, I can't imagine myself learning, something like that. So young, was there a lot of resources or were there, are people helping [00:04:40] you during this time?
Timothy: No, it was basically, I was on my own.
Um, my mother was, you know, kind of familiar with it, but she didn't live the life with it or didn't have any cousins directly with her. So it was basically learn as I go and I had no help. There was no, no [00:05:00] resources or in.
Leslie: We hear that all the time from clients that there's this diagnosis and there's this moment of kind of like shock value and it's so upsetting, it's scary and all these things.
And then there's kind of nowhere to go, you know, what's the next step? What do you do? Um, so how did you kind of take that next step you're diagnosed you're only 12 years old. Did [00:05:20] anything change for you at school? When did you start realizing like, Hey, I need to get some help
Timothy: at school affected my education because I couldn't read talk boards.
Um, I remember a couple of times when I was a high school that, that, and I was embarrassed with my retinitis pigmentosa. I was really upset about [00:05:40] having it. So I didn't want anybody to know about it. So you try to hide it in the background. So whenever we did a test on the chalkboard, I wouldn't even tell my teacher about it.
I wouldn't, I just wouldn't do the test. I was so embarrassed that I made that affect my life at that time like that. And I shouldn't have, but it was learn as you go. And [00:06:00] just go by the seat of your pants and you try to hide it. You can notice it. Like when I played basketball, there was some times I couldn't play any games because the gymnasiums weren't lit up.
Good enough. So my coach would pull me out of the game because I would tell him I couldn't see good enough to play. And sometimes even in the games that did play. I would miss the [00:06:20] basketball or I didn't see it coming towards me because with the retinitis pigmentosa, I have seven blind spots in the chai, even though I had 20, 30 vision at that time, the ball would get in those ranges or those dead spots in my eyes.
And I couldn't see the ball. So it was. Very hard to adapt with it. But as the [00:06:40] older I got, I knew it was affecting my life. Cause my vision, when I got my driver's license went to 2040 vision and the drive in Georgia. If you got worse than 2060, you could no longer drive. So my vision just kept the. That's the old drag
Christina: Timothy, you said chalkboard, which I'm going to point out students [00:07:00] nowadays, probably don't even know what that is.
Um, so that also goes to show, you know, back then they didn't have the technology that there is now because students have tablets, you know, laptops. They don't even use it. I don't even know if they use a whiteboard anymore. Um, so that just [00:07:20] goes to show you back then there wasn't much accessibility for you and, you know, you said driving, that was a big theme for you.
So when was the point that you were wanted to seek help?
Timothy: Well, for me, it was a hard acceptance of the blindness, so I try to hold it off as long as I could. [00:07:40] Um, I lost the ability to drive a car by age 30. I handed my keys over to my wife. And I said, I can't do this anymore because of the liability issues of it.
I was scared I was going to kill somebody. If not myself, I really didn't seek help until I went the leader dog. And that was a big [00:08:00] step because I wanted to push it off. If you just deny it. Even though I lived at every day and I could see it going through my life, you would always think, well, maybe next year, maybe next year, maybe next year.
And. It was just hard accepting it. And until I decided that I finally had to accept it, I didn't seek any help. [00:08:20] And then, uh, I try to get help with, uh, my Voke rehab here in the state of Georgia. And, uh, they told me at the time when I finally reached out that I was too old for them to help me. And they basically told me to go find a blind people or.
That could teach me or what I needed to do, because they won't even come to my house to [00:08:40] show me how to use a cane at that time. So I never met my first blind person. Todd was 46, 47 years old in my life. So I was out on my own. So it was, it was until I went the leader dog. I, I never got any.
Leslie: Did you ever think that you were going to need a white cane?
[00:09:00] Like had you seen people out in the streets ever with a light cane and thought, oh, that's something I need to explore. Just honestly had no idea,
Timothy: no idea. Leslie. I never seen a white cane before. Never,
Christina: you know, it blows my mind Timothy. Cause you said that they told you to go find somebody else who is a blind cause they wouldn't give you those [00:09:20] services.
And I've learned just in my short time here at leader dog. It's so hard for people to find services. And it just blows my mind. I mean, meeting Leslie and knowing what she does with orientation and mobility, it's such a need for people to get around who are in your [00:09:40] situation. So what was that feeling like when they told you, you know, like go find somebody else who is blind and get them to teach.
Timothy: Well, I was going through the depression at, before that because of my blindness. And I thought that eventually when I said, okay, I've got to do something or it's going to get worse. And for them to tell me that it just [00:10:00] put me into a deeper depression, because then I thought I was on my own. There's nothing out there.
And I don't know about these services. And I think somehow that maybe I doctors should know about what leader, dog or any organization or the national Federation for the blind. I didn't know the stuff exists. It's just insane. What I [00:10:20] know now, which I wish I knew six years ago and it's mind blowing how much stuff is out there that we don't know about because we're not told about it.
Leslie: Yeah. You know, in the U S there's only 1.3 million people who are legally blind to. Seems like a large number, but when you think about the whole population, it's very small in the [00:10:40] prevalence. Um, blindness just isn't well known people don't understand it. People don't know what it is. There's so many myths and stereotypes out there about blindness in general.
And then unfortunately we hear your story all the time. Timothy of that people will finally, they take that step, right? They're like, okay, I'm going to reach out. Try to get services, which is a huge deal to [00:11:00] do that. And then they're denied and it's, it's terrifying and it's so upsetting. And like you mentioned, you kind of go back into that depression.
You've taken that first step and then you've been shut down. Um, and states, unfortunately, most of the time state agency. Some that they don't want to provide those services, but because of their restrictions that they have, uh, with state and [00:11:20] federal funding, they can only serve most times people with a vocational goal.
And that means somebody who wants to or can get back out into the workforce and kind of give back to society basically. But what we know about blindness too, is that a lot of times blind, this hits later in life, therefore there's so many individuals who are losing a career because of their blindness.[00:11:40]
Or, um, can't get a job because of their blindness. And so, or they don't feel comfortable or they have other concerns, medical issues, family responsibilities, where they can't leave the home to go. So there are this large group of individuals who do not qualify for services, but are in desperate need of services.
Christina: I mean, Leslie, just going [00:12:00] off of that, the statistic that I've learned, just being that leader dog that always blows my mind is that only 10% of people who are blind or visually impaired can travel independently with a white cane or a guide dog that blows my mind. I mean, Timothy, you're one of them, but there are 90% of people.
We don't even know [00:12:20] about at that could be sitting at home or that don't even know services are out there like you didn't. And so Timothy, I mean, what was the, I know Leslie talked to on the. Unemployed. Did you ever become unemployed yourself throughout this
Timothy: journey? Well, I used to work for an optical company.
I [00:12:40] used to make glasses for people so they can have good vision, but why, why my mine was declining. And so I worked till I was about 35, 36, and then I decided, you know, my vision is getting so bad that they S they adapted my job for me, as long as they can. But then it started struggling after the, there, [00:13:00] there, uh, what they did for me.
So I had the decide, Hey, I can't do this anymore. So yes, I had to retire at a young age of 36. And going into that retirement is, sounds all great that, Hey, I'm not going to have to work anymore. I get to sit at home, but actually that starts weighing on your mind. When you have a wife, that's got to get up every day [00:13:20] and she's going out and working and you're sitting home.
And for me, That was a heavy weight on my mind and my ego, I guess, if you want to say that because I was the breadwinner, but now all of a sudden I'm just drawn in a disability check every month and it, it wasn't sufficient enough for us. [00:13:40] And so I felt guilty because of my disease. It was affecting the, my whole family, and that was very hard to, to adapt and accept.
Leslie: Absolutely. Do you mind sharing a little bit about your wife's perspective? You know, you're a diagnosed now, you you've given us your driver's license. Uh, you're no longer working. What was the [00:14:00] impact for her?
Timothy: Well impact on her is the weight. Everything that I had on me went onto her. And for her to do what she does.
She goes out to work every day and she works hard and yes, she's gotten good raises at her work. Thank God, after all these years. But it was, it was a [00:14:20] struggle. And you got to respect somebody who goes out every day as carrying the weight of the financial burden of the house and for her adapting to it, you know, She, I had to hang used to have to hang onto her all the time to get around at the stores or something.
And then my big feet was step [00:14:40] on her feet and she would get hurt by me. And I felt bad about that. And sometimes I would trip her and stuff like that. And, and it was just getting where I was being a newest sense just to be around her. And it was, it was, you know, in her aspect, it was when you're starting to hurt your loved one because you can't.[00:15:00]
You start feeling bad and you feel responsible for her pain. And more than that, that that she goes every day, go to work and you sit at home and you feel guilty. There's a whole guiltiness, that's put on the weight of your mind and your shoulders. And God love her that she's, she's capable of doing as [00:15:20] long as she has.
Christina: That is crazy. Timothy is so many people don't even think about how that can impact. Whoever is in your life, whether it's your wife, your family, and your friends, anybody. I mean, that is just so crazy for me to hear because, you know, when I think about [00:15:40] our clients who come in, I see them come in and I see them leave so happy with their leader dog, but then we don't think about what goes on before they come here and then what goes on after they leave.
And so for you, you know, going through that, losing your job, The impact on your wife. [00:16:00] Was there a moment where you were like, you know what, I want to get out. I want to see if, what else is out there? Well,
Timothy: when you have to call her and say, Hey, I got as a doctor's appointment, can you take time off from work or, Hey, I need to do this.
And you know, that's what I used to do with my parents when I was 16 years old. [00:16:20] And when you're 45 46, and you're asking somebody, you know, you start feeling like a child and I'm not a child. And just, I felt trapped. And then that's when I decided, Hey, it's time for me to do something in my life so I can do what I need to do so she can go to work every day that's she [00:16:40] wants to do, and she needs to do.
And, and when you reach out and you're the door slammed in your face again, because you're technically called that you're too old and it just, it was, it was mind boggling and devastating at the same time. Uh, paid taxes all my life into the state. You figured [00:17:00] there'll be something there for me, but because I'm a certain age, they tell me I'm too old.
Can't help you is basically you're on your.
Leslie: Yeah. In the U S 60% of people who are blind or visually impaired are unemployed and even more so are considered underemployed. And it's, it really comes down to what you were talking about, that education [00:17:20] of getting those services and learning how to get out your front door independent.
Learning how to work the technology, the assistive technology jaws on a computer, um, your phone, right? All of our phones now connect us to the world in so many different ways. But if you don't know how to use your phone without vision, it's not going to be helpful. You may have the best device ever, but [00:17:40] unless somebody is there to assist you through that and teach you how to do it, uh, it can be incredibly isolating.
We know that blindness in general. Is incredibly isolating for clients. And there's so many people sitting throughout the U S right now and the world who are visually impaired and don't know one that services exist or two how to get them or three, maybe they do, but they [00:18:00] don't qualify. Um, so it's a really tough, tough thing to try to go through if you're alone or with somebody.
Like you mentioned your spouse, your wife, your family, everybody was a part of all this, and you're all experiencing it together, but it's really hard to, to know where to go and to find those first [00:18:20] steps. And so you had mentioned previously, you didn't meet somebody who is blind or visually impaired until way later in life.
What was that like when you finally met somebody who's who gets it, who understands what you going through and can relate to you?
Timothy: Well, my first reaction was, oh my Lord. Because I was facing reality [00:18:40] then, because I was seeing how they were moving around with their cane and stuff like that. And it was, I wasn't too happy about it, Leslie.
I wasn't happy about it. I denied, I had a cane in my hand, a folding cane because I wanted a folding cane cause I could hide it. And when I would go to the NFB meeting, I wouldn't have it out because I didn't [00:19:00] want to use it, but it was just. It blew me away to see a, that they were, they were getting up around what that came.
And so to me, it was saying, Hey, it's not the end of the world. We just got to find the place where you can go to get your training. We've got to find some help here. [00:19:20] And they helped me as much as they could. But they didn't know about leader dog. Only thing I knew about was the NFB that they've got to the school and four or five places in America, but you had to do a nine month commit a commitment to them.
And usually right down, down there, they're like 20 to 20, 22 year [00:19:40] olds while I'm. At that time, almost 50 years old. And I don't, I've already raised my kids. I don't need to hang around a bunch of kids for nine months that day. So that's not, that's not appealing to me. So that's when, uh, I didn't know what to do.
And thank God I went to that convention my [00:20:00] first year when I ran into leader dogs at the NFB convention. Cause if it wasn't, if they weren't there, God knows. I probably still, where I'm at right now was back then. And that. Man. Sometimes things happened in your life for the best. And it's amazing that I just happened to walk up to that table [00:20:20] because all the other guide dogs, schools that were there, they don't do O and M training.
None of them do. And if I had gone to the wrong one, I wouldn't have my training today.
Christina: Timothy. So you were saying that you had a cane, but you're hiding it. What I can relate to with that is, you know, [00:20:40] not getting a pimple on my face and wanting to hide it, or, you know, having to, you know, starting a new workout routine and not wanting to go because I don't know anyone in the class.
Um, so for you, was there a point where you were like, you know what, I, I need to be confident in carrying this and when did that come [00:21:00] for you?
Timothy: When I went to the convention, it took me a year after going to the NFB, my local chapter, I knew I was going to go to Orlando. And I said, well, I've got to get my cane out because I wanted to do the trip by myself.
I didn't want nobody to go down there with me. And [00:21:20] so I whip that out for the first time, the day I went to the airport and it was a hot mess when I was supposed to go and ride, I was going left when I was going to let it was just, it was. But I got through the week, I was surprised that I've finally adjusted, but I went there.
It was, it was terrible.[00:21:40]
Christina: So Timothy's word is terrible. So you're going to probably hear that a lot in this podcast, just so you know, and it, Timothy, I mean, you were saying it was a hot mess, you know, kind of walking with your cane through the airport. So you had had no training prior to.
Timothy: [00:22:00] No, none. Zero. I mean, I had somebody show me, you know, how to swing it here, swing it there.
But basically that was it. That was you're on your own buddy. Good luck. And I went to a convention. I flew down to Orlando. And I went through the world's business airport in Atlanta. Of course I had to have assistance, but [00:22:20] it's it I'm, I'm glad I did it. You know, I knew nothing would happen bad to me. I had that much confidence, but you gotta understand, I still have three or 4% of my vision.
So I used them. Things, both tools together, my eyes and what I couldn't see. I used the cane. So as long as I did both of them at the same time, I knew I'd [00:22:40] be okay. And I, I did. Okay. And I'm glad I did. I did it by myself because it gave me the confidence that I did something out of. I had to get out of my shell to do.
I haven't traveled by myself in 25 years until that day. And it, I, my wife was scared. I wrote down on the subway by myself. [00:23:00] She was not happy about that, but, uh, I did it and, and I'm glad I went
Christina: the, so when you did this trip by yourself, did you find that people were helpful when you were asking
Timothy: at the airport?
They're great. If you, for me, [00:23:20] people kind of are standoffish. If they see it in a public with a cane sometimes, and that's the sad, sad fact about it. And, um, people will run away from. When I was using my tank. Cause they, it, it, to me, it came just, they, they were worried that either I was going to run into them or they were going to run into me and they were [00:23:40] nervous.
Every time I got around somebody with a cane. So some people are helpful and one I'm, uh, I'm one of those blind people that if somebody wants to help me, I'm very polite. I don't jump onto their case about it and say, no, I don't need no help. I'll take it. Cause it might help them feel better about themselves.
And who knows them, helping me make, make their day. Because I'm a nice [00:24:00] guy. I make everybody laugh. That's my goal in life.
Leslie: And you do a great to have it that, but you bring up a good point by letting somebody else help you and have a positive experience with somebody who's blind or visually impaired is going to encourage them to hopefully also offer assistance to the next person that they see who essentially.
Timothy: If you're [00:24:20] main about it, they may not help somebody one day that really needs the help and that could affect somebody else's life. So be a good representative to say, no thank you. But thank you for offering if you don't really want it, but if they do to no, be very appreciative at show. Thanks because somebody is taking their time out of their day to help you [00:24:40] do something.
And that's not a bad
Leslie: thing. Yeah, you brought up two really good points that I wanted to talk about. One is when you had the cane, but you kept, it felt folded up. You didn't want to share it with the public. You didn't want to be recognized as blind. So we call that passing. And basically that is you're trying to pass as quote, unquote, normal or cited.
Um, you don't [00:25:00] want people to know about your visual impairment to use this tool, kind of broadcast it out to every. But what people sometimes understand, once you start using the king, like your ex uh, sharing your experience here is that people are willing to assist once they understand, you know, that cane, it really is an identifier where somebody can say, oh, he has trouble [00:25:20] seeing now I understand why he might've bumped into my shoulder, or now I understand why he couldn't navigate this situation by himself.
So it is really important just to hold that cane, even if you're not using it properly. Right. Just having that cane out is an identifier, which can sometimes really relieve a lot of stress and anxiety because it kind of fills in the gaps of [00:25:40] those social situations where you do bump into somebody, or you do have to ask for assistance as to where the restroom is when there's a giant sign on the wall that says restrooms this way.
Um, so sometimes it is nice to have that. I want to just talk about that. And then there was one other thing, uh, oh, another myth, uh, you kind of mentioned, you know, you got [00:26:00] those gains and you had no idea what to do with it. You're just kind of swinging it around. Um, and a lot of people don't understand that the idea of the cane is to swing it around and find things right.
How many times have I told you Timothy or I'm sure you've heard me talk to others. Is that as an O and M specialist, we love to see canes that are beat up and bruise. Cause that tells me [00:26:20] that your cane is finding those. The cause and not your body. So I love to see a beat up cane and beat up bruised individual.
So I learned
Christina: what you're explaining Leslie myself very recently, I got to do a blindfold walk with a cane with one of our other orientation and mobility instructors. [00:26:40] And I was mind blown. I ran into the grass. I was running into so many things and I never realized Timothy how you have to use your memory.
So much to remember, okay, I'm coming back from my room or my office or wherever I am. I have to remember where [00:27:00] that is to turn myself back around. Once I made it to go get my coffee or whatever it may be and get back to your room. And that's something that someone like me who is very new to the blindness community that blew my mind of, I have to use my brain so much in my memory to remember.
[00:27:20] Directions. And so what was that like for you Timothy, when you were first learning to use the cane and remembering your locations where you were going.
Timothy: Oh, when I went for ONM up there with Leslie I, Leslie was my own M instructor. I remember one time I got lost in the daytime. I forgot where I was, but there [00:27:40] was, there was obstacles like, uh, there was blowers and stuff like that.
There was lawn services at their mowing yards and I, the noise has got me confused. So the first thing you gotta do is stop. Take a deep breath. And just backtrack a little bit and you can figure out anything you're not lost. You're [00:28:00] just not in the right place at that moment. And that's the thing to do, backtrack where you came from.
And I, I found the downtown, um, uh, the headquarters downtown there, the school. And so. You just got to remember and you gotta learn how to count. Sometimes you got to count door jams. Sometimes you gotta count the [00:28:20] steps you take, and you've gotta remember some things, but you got the capabilities of doing what you need to do.
You just got to take a deep breath and focus a little bit better. And that's what I had to. Because boy getting at my age, sometimes you forget where you're going and just, just going out your front door, but you just gotta take a deep breath and just, [00:28:40] just pay attention a little bit more. And that was something I had to learn.
And Leslie, show me how to do that. And she gave me the instruments, especially when I did my first night walk. Uh, there was a little nerve wracking. I never walked in day, day in my life by myself in the dark before. And when I went for that night walk, I was nervous. And I did a big [00:29:00] mistake that night. I, I veered off into the middle of the street and I remember Leslie coming up and Timothy.
Yes. Uh, you're out in the middle of the street. Oh my Lord. What have I done? I got upset with myself because I didn't line myself up properly, but after that, The rest of my walk went great and perfect. And I got emotional about it. Cause [00:29:20] I finally did something in my life that I'd never been able to do before it's walking in the dark by myself without any assistance.
And that was just mind blowing for me. That
Christina: is amazing. And that's amazing how you and Leslie met. I mean, how has, I'm going to ask you both this? How has your relationship [00:29:40] grownass since.
Leslie: Oh, I'll go first. All right. So Timothy and I met yes. When he came for a week of ONM and we got to work together for the entire week, which is a lot of hours together.
So it's really great when you connect with somebody and kind of build a friendship, which is exactly what I think we did. Um, Timothy made some [00:30:00] amazing accomplishments throughout the week. He went from never really having any formal training to. Accomplishing the biggest task, which was traveling at night independently.
And of course he had some goof ups, but I'm loving, listening to your interpretation of what happened, your stories and how you're still using those skills today. But I think your biggest message here, [00:30:20] Timothy, correct me if I'm wrong is that you learn that you can do it right. When you're blind or visually impaired things can be very intimidating.
And it feels like I can't, I can't, I can't, but there's always a way to do something. It's just thinking about it a little differently, taking a new approach, using a different tool, which is exactly what you've done. But as far as our [00:30:40] friendship, we have realized we have lots of things in common and the last couple of years, I was honored to, to see Timothy when he came back for his guide dog, which I know we'll get into in another episode.
Um, but we've just built a great friendship and I'm so excited to be doing this together and a couple other, uh, great projects. So.
Timothy: Well, I knew Leslie was all [00:31:00] right, because she's a former rusty Wallace. Then there, I knew we were going to be at all right. At that time she was pregnant and I'm going, oh my Lord.
She's okay. And she made it fun. She, I knew. I knew I could have fun with her, but I [00:31:20] knew when the serious time was going to be. And she lets, you know, when it was fun time, but it was, she knows, you know, when it, okay, now you got her. Okay. I'll, I'll straighten up a little bit, but uh, and uh, it was a lot of walking and she, she would try to do little tricks on me.
And I would figure it out. Okay. She's doing all right. So the next day, [00:31:40] I, okay. Guess what? We're going to take an extra walk. We're going to go in an extra block. So she's going to have to do that now. She knew what I was doing, but she made it fun and I, and I was grateful about it. It was just me and her.
One-on-one uh, that was a great thing. I didn't have to. Have anybody else learning [00:32:00] along with us. So I had the whole day with her. And so that w w that was great. It felt like she was my, my instructor. She used teacher and nobody else that week. And I love that aspect of it because she was concentrated on me and I was on concentrated on what I needed to do.
And it was a great experience. [00:32:20] I hope when I come back for a refresher, Leslie gets to do me all over again. Cause that's who I want for my training, but it's, it's been an amazing ride. And you can do, once you go to leader dog, you get the tools, you get everything you need. And it used to be, I don't know if I can, is now I can.
[00:32:40] And if I'm having my little mistakes, there are going to be mistakes. It's not going to be perfect. And you got to accept that and that's that's okay. You just got to brush yourself off and go on. If it didn't hurt you. You're good. And so just go on, you're going to be fine. You're going to figure it out.
You've got the tools. They teach you [00:33:00] everything you need to do. And it's worked for me and if it works for me, it can work for anybody.
Christina: I love that perspective, Timothy and I am so thankful to be able to do this podcast with both of you and learn more about both of you and you know, earlier Timothy. You know, you guys just mentioning your relationship.
I mean, [00:33:20] it wasn't just, you came for ONM training and then you left and nobody ever talked to you again. I mean, you and Leslie have this amazing friendship now. So it just shows the Testament of working together with a leader. Dog just grew from that. And we're just going to continue to keep getting into your story in our next [00:33:40] episode.
So excited about that. Well, what's
Timothy: great about leader dog is once you get there, you feel like you're part of their family and it never changes. Even when you go back home, they could take check on you. If you got to come back for more training, okay, come back and we'll do some more [00:34:00] training. If you want to come back and get a guide dog, I'll take them back.
We'll go give you a guide dog and time to replace your guide dog, which is a sad moment. They're always there. And once you're part of the family, It never changes. And I miss going, I miss Rochester Hills, Michigan. I miss this, my second family [00:34:20] and I cannot wait to come back and see everybody again because they make me feel like I'm normal.
I've never had that experience in my life where I felt normal. But when I went to leader dog for the first time, I felt normal. They were there. They're trained and they make you feel like you're somebody, because guess what? I am. [00:34:40] Even though the world makes me feel like I'm not, they make me feel like I was, and I finally, it was, so it was, it was just blown, blew me away.
And I just, I know they love us up there and they're there for us and that's just a warm feeling and I've never experienced that [00:35:00] before.
Leslie: That is beautiful and you're absolutely right. You are part of the leader, dog, family, just like everybody else's and myself included. That's how I got involved in leader dog.
I actually came as a practicum students during my masters program at Western and same thing. I fell in love as a professional. I loved seeing the success stories. I felt like I was very supported. [00:35:20] Um, it's a wonderful culture and atmosphere and we're happy. You're a part of the leader, dog, family, to me.
Thank you so much, everyone for listening to the taking the lead podcast. I'm your host, Leslie Hoskins with host Timothy Cuneo and Christina Hapner. We hope you enjoyed our deep dive into Timothy's experience with blindness. Please join us next week [00:35:40] to learn about Timothy, quite literally running into the leader dog and how the leader dog programs have impacted his life.
Christina:And if you like today's podcast, make sure to hit subscribe and check us out wherever podcasts.[00:36:00]