When Bobby Dixon lost his sight, he was unable to do many of the things he used to do with ease.
“I had a mean look on my face,” Dixon says. “When I first came to SCCB, I felt down. I was getting upset and snapping at my wife and kids. If I tripped or fell, I would get frustrated with myself.”
As part of the Vocational Rehabilitation services he is receiving, Dixon attends the Training Center. At first, he felt embarrassed that he used the walls to find his way. But he discovered that many of the friends he made there also struggled with the same things.
“I was scared they would laugh at me. But when I got there, I found out that everyone was in the same situation,” Dixon says. “When I made mistakes, I wasn’t alone. Everybody was going through the same process.”
Through Home Management and Orientation and Mobility instruction, Dixon gained confidence in his ability to navigate his environment and be independent at home. This will help him as he pursues his employment goal of becoming a merchandising associate.
“They helped me stop saying ‘I can’t,’” he says. “Everybody helped me with my confidence. They refused to give up on me.”
He also learned that the fear of making a mistake shouldn’t hold him back.
“Instead of giving up, I feel the confidence to try,” Dixon says.
His family, friends, and SCCB staff have noticed the change in him. He is more patient, independent, and motivated. “My wife and kids like the way I’ve changed,” he says with pride.
Dixon is grateful for all he has learned and the friends he has made at the Training Center.
He says the Training Center is like “a piece of heaven. You know everybody, you get along, and everybody loves and supports each other.”