D’IBERVILLE, Miss. (WLOX) — For some veterans, independence can mean doing something as simple as identifying what’s sitting in front of them.
For others, it’s knowing who’s walking into the room.
“You’re used to being the ox and then all of a sudden, you lose your sight. It’s a major loss of independence. But this, this brings me back to feeling whole again,” former U.S. Navy Senior Chief Thomas Goldberg said.
Former U.S. Navy Senior Chief Thomas Goldberg received a free pair of Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses at VFW Post 6731, marking a life-changing shift in his battle with vision loss.
Former US Navy Senior Chief Thomas Goldberg received a free pair of Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses at VFW Post 6731, marking a life-changing shift in his battle with vision loss.(WLOX)
“It’s going to read the document to me or the page or verse or chapter, and then I can meditate on my word,” Goldberg said. “But also, it’s going to help me see my grandchildren when they’re doing things because I can ask it.”
It’s all part of a partnership between Meta and the Blinded Veterans Association, an initiative aimed at helping visually impaired veterans reclaim their independence through artificial intelligence.
Through the partnership, Meta is donating Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses to 130,000 blinded veterans across the country.(WLOX)
Through the partnership, Meta is donating Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses to 130,000 blinded veterans across the country.
“What we’re doing to work with them is to get the glasses and improve their quality of life. And already just today, the folks that have gotten here are like, ‘oh my gosh,’” Blinded Veterans Association Vice President Tracy Ferro said.
Blinded Veterans Association Vice President Tracy Ferro says these glasses do more than describe the world; they help him hold onto precious moments with his wife.
“The memories of being able to just say, ‘Hey, let’s go out to dinner. What’s this? Hey, sweetheart, let’s try this out. Let’s do that.’ It’s just phenomenal,” Ferro said. “It’s phenomenal. I can sit there and say, what’s out there? What am I looking at?”
For the veterans who walked away with a pair of these glasses, the hope is that they won’t just be another piece of technology, but another tool for living life on their own terms.
“If this is that barrier that we can just break down to help you want to explore more, makes you want to go out and do your rehab, makes you want to actually connect with friends again, that’s what it’s all about,” Blinded Veterans Association National Executive Director Lea Rowe said.
If you’re a veteran and missed the event in D’Iberville, click here to see how you can receive a pair.
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