We recently watched a fascinating documentary film called “Dealt,” which is about a card magician named Richard Turner. Mr. Turner’s talents would be impressive under any circumstances, but what makes his story particularly unique and moving is that he is blind.
He began to lose his eyesight after being diagnosed with scarlet fever that caused macular degeneration when he was 9 years old, and was essentially unable to see by the time he was a teenager. By adulthood, he could no longer distinguish between a fully lit room and total darkness. That transition initially led to self-destructive behaviors but eventually he found his calling in decks of cards, of which he owns over 5000, which you see neatly stacked in their little boxes in the home he shares with his wife, Kim, in San Antonio.
One aspect that perhaps distinguishes Mr. Turner from other blind people is his insistence on not to allowing himself to easily be identified as blind. He never learned braille, and only in recent years did he finally agree to use a seeing eye dog. The film also introduces us to his sister, Lori, who suffers from the same disease which she has approached in a more conventional way.
A shout out to our friend Joanne for recommending this fascinating film.
Love,
Rebecca
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