John Fleming, known as “Blind John” or “BJ” among skydivers, was the first skydiver to figure out how to safely jump solo without eyesight. In today’s clip, John talks about going blind, retinitis pigmentosa, and some of the funny predicaments his adventurous spirit got him into as his sight waned.
One of the things people most admired about John was his irrepressible spirit. It’s not that losing his sight didn’t affect him and create hardships, it did and he was honest about that — but he was also determined to live life on his own terms and, for him, that meant seeing the humorous side of living the life of a thrill-seeker who was going blind. So, don’t be afraid to chuckle while you watch this vid:
Blue skies!
P.S. If you love John’s stories and want more, consider a donation of $100 or more at our GoFundMe page. Your gift will help support production costs for the full-length documentary and you will receive a copy of John Fleming’s ebook, No Shit, There I Was, I Thought I Was Going to Die. It is full of John’s stories of living a thrill-seeking life while losing his sight, and eventually, becoming totally blind.