If you know that you're going to lose your eyesight soon, you'll likely want to see the things that matter to you and for one kid whose vision has been declining since he was born, this means seeing as much of the world as he still can before he becomes totally blind.
Nine-year-old Ben Pierce, from Texas, was born four months before his due. Because he was extremely premature and underdeveloped weighing only one pound and six ounces at birth, his was born with eyes fused shut. An eye operation caused problems with his vision which grew worse as he got older.
Last year, Ben and his family learned that his ability to see will be gone before he reaches adulthood so the young boy now practices using a walking stick and will learn Braille next month. His family also wanted to give Ben the chance to have as much visual memories as he can before he finally loses his eyesight so they asked him what he wanted to see.
Ben's family was surprised with some of the things that he wanted to do and see such as going to the Apple Store and a bike store as well as seeing a chalk under a microscope. He also said he wanted to see the forests in Asia and the Eiffel Tower in France.
"One of his therapists explained that as he gets older it will be easier for him to describe things and interact with the sighted world if he has memories of things," Ben's parents wrote on the family website. "And of course beyond the practical logistics of it, we wanted to help Ben have the emotional experience of witnessing this wild and wonderful world!"
Soon, Ben came up with a wish list of the things he wanted to do and see before he goes blind such as snorkel, ski and personally see things he reads about in books and sees in televisions such as the iconic landmarks and famous places in England, France, Greece and Germany.
While the cost of the adventures in Ben's bucket list is a hurdle, his siblings donated their allowances to make his wishes comes true. They also made and sold truffles to neighbors and friends to raise money. Soon, it was not just Ben's family who want to accomplish the things in his bucket list.
Donations also came pouring in. Funds for Ben's adventures now reached nearly $20,000. Help from friends and even from total strangers have likewise made it possible for Ben to see the Van Gogh painting at the Dallas Museum of Art, visit NASA and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter as well as watch a major league soccer match.
