A Fully Blind Man Rides His Bike in Traffic and Becomes a Real-Life Batman

Daniel Kish has been completely blind since 13 months old. But he was able to adapt to his blindness and, moreover, now he’s trying to destroy stereotypes about the difficulties associated with it. He moves around freely, rides a bicycle, and spends time actively. And this is because he learned to see with his ears.

We at Bright Side admire Daniel and his work. He inspires all people, both the sighted and the blind ones. And we invite you to come and get uplifted with us.

Mom didn’t stop Daniel from clinking.

Many blind children make different sounds when they experience the world. And Daniel clinked his tongue from the age of 2, he began to do it intuitively, although then he didn’t yet know the concept of making sounds. His mother never tried to prevent this, and thanks to this, he was able to develop his abilities of free orientation in space. He was also brought up to completely rely on himself.

He became Batman.

It turned out he was using a method that bats and some other species use because they lack vision. Scientifically, this is called echolocation. This means that he actively makes a sound and the echo is reflected from the objects around him. And this information helps him navigate in space. For his capabilities, he was even called Batman.

Daniel founded an educational organization, although he didn’t initially plan to.

Daniel studied echolocation deeper in college, where he earned 2 Master’s degrees. Moreover, he figured out how to teach navigation skills to others. He feels free and doesn’t agree with the restrictions imposed on blind people. He tries to change their minds and other people’s attitude toward them. And World Access for the Blind (WAFTB), an organization founded by Daniel, has already managed to help 7,000 people all over the world.

He encouraged scientists to do research.

Several studies on echolocation have been carried out thanks to Daniel’s work. In one research study, scientists sought to find the most effective sound for echolocation. Also, Daniel himself took part in another study. His brain was scanned using an MRI to recognize the parts of it involved in the processing of information from the echo.

And it’s not just scientists that are motivated by Daniel.

He inspires others with his publications and broadcasts, including a TED Talk and PopTech. He also managed to become a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist and got a National Blindness Professional Certification. And he is the first totally blind person who did it. He is a true example of personal strength and power to change the world. Not only for blind people, but for all of us.

How do you feel about Daniel’s story? What do you think about his work?