Blind man aims to swim across Georgia Strait to raise money for guide dogs – BC | 24CA News
A B.C. swimmer who has slowly been shedding his imaginative and prescient and is now blind is getting ready to swim the Strait of Georgia with the aim of elevating cash for information canine.
It’s a trigger near his coronary heart: Scott Rees’ information canine Kaleb has taken him to the water’s edge on numerous coaching days.
The former aggressive swimmer has made a comeback and is now getting ready to swim daunting crossing this July to lift cash for Canadian Guide Dogs For the Blind.
“It’s 30 kilometres if you swim straight. I don’t swim very straight,” Rees informed Global’s This is BC.
A headset in his cap will assist him navigate the 11 hour swim — with audio help and instructions from Greg Wenger, who follows Rees in a kayak.
A recessive genetic situation has triggered Rees to slowly lose his imaginative and prescient during the last 20 years.
“I’ve gone from a relatively normal childhood from doing sports and things to hanging up the car keys, to stopping running, stopping biking,” Rees mentioned.
But he’s discovered methods to get again to doing the issues he loves with help from household and associates. And his Golden Lab Kaleb has actually modified his life.
“To lose his ability to do certain things has been really hard, but having Kaleb has brought back a lot of that for him,” Rees’ spouse Alexandra MacCarthy defined.
The previous few years have been extremely troublesome.
“I don’t know what my kids look like, and my wife, I haven’t been able to see her face for the last few years,” Rees mentioned.
“Luckily for those who have been around for a long time, I’m able to keep them in my memory.”
The aim is to lift $30,000 in an enormous check of endurance, for an athlete who’s discovering methods to beat his life’s largest problem.
“Scott is the type of guy you’re lucky to be around. He’s an inspiring person,” Rees’ pal Connor McKenna mentioned.
“It changes what people think is possible. It’s changed what I think is possible.”
If you wish to help Rees’ swim problem, you can also make a donation at Swimthestrait.ca.
To contact Jay Durant with a narrative thought for This is BC, e mail him particulars and speak to data at thisisbc@globalnews.ca
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