Randy Chandler Director of Sales Randy Chandler Director of Sales.
Randy Wolfeil
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Transcript of Randy Wolfeil
Page 6, August 7, 2015, Blue Stone Press
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Jillian Nadiak
BSP Reporter
On April 19, 2014, Randy Wolfeil’s lifechanged dramatically when a car he was working on backfired and caused a canof carburetor spray to explode directly infront of his face, burning through all sixlayers of his eyes and leaving him blinded.
“I’ve always been a fan of safety,” said Wolfeil. “But for some reason the nightthat I was working on my truck, I didn’thave safety goggles on and if I did I wouldn’t be blind today.”
The explosion surged into his face, trav-eling into his mouth and throat leaving atrail of blisters. “It was like a shotgun blastof chemicals,” he said. “Carburetor spraycan cut through grease. Imagine what itdoes to your eyes.”
He choked for about a minute, his lifeactually flashing before his eyes beforehe managed to find his four-wheeler. Un-able to see, he rode his four-wheeler upthe road to his mother’s house, using thecontrasting feeling of gravel and leaves ashis guide. He managed to find the key toher house, let himself in, and knocked onher bedroom door.
“All I could see were two white puffedup clouds,” his mother, Margaret, said. “Noeyes at all. Like foam balls.”
Wolfeil was in shock. He insisted he wasOK because he couldn’t feel any pain, buthis mother could see the clear answer.Upon arriving at Ellenville Hospital, they were rushed to Westchester Burn Unit, where Wolfeil would spend the next 18days receiving treatment. “I woke up thenext morning and can just remember notbeing able to see a thing,” he said. “I re-member thinking, ‘Oh my God. What did Ido to myself?’”
Despite his face being burned, Wolfeilhas no major scarring on his skin. Hiseyes, however, took the brunt of the explo-sion.
“My kids are my life,” said Wolfeil. “It’shard to say without crying, but when mydaughter first saw my eyes she said that
I reminded her of a zombie, and she hadnightmares that night. It was really painfulfor me to take that in. My boy is older so heunderstands.” Wolfeil now wears sun-glasses “like a person with a pimple wearsa mask” when his daughter visits him.
Despite this accident and the repercus-sions it has had on his daily life, Wolfeilhas chosen to uphold his sobriety, whichhe has had for three years now. Wolfeil’smantra, “I am a power of example,” are the words that keep him uplifted and optimis-tic. “People have told me that if it weren’tfor me, they would be drinking today,” hesaid.
Wolfeil holds weekly inspirationalmeetings on his own porch, where hegets together with friends to maintain theoptimism in his life.
Wolfeil dreams of using his experienceto speak publicly about the importance ofsafety in the workplace and to continueinspiring others in their quest for sobriety.
The Association of the Blind has given Wolfeil many things to help him adjust,such as a spaghetti pot with a locking lidand strainer, elbow-high oven mitts, a talk-ing scale and watch, an audio book player,and a liquid level indicator for his coffee.Even with all of these things, his voicerecorder is the most helpful.
Wolfeil held the small device in hishand. “I get depressed a lot,” he said, hishead bent down. “Some days are verybad.” He clicked the play button.
“Randy, you are an inspiration to somany people,” his own voice played, slowand steady. “You’ve been told so manytimes by so many people that you are apower of example. You need to stay strong,stay positive and keep yourself on the righttrack. You can beat this, Randy. I knowit’s not easy, but I know you can do it. Justkeep praying and praying and praying andGod will take you places that you neverthought you could ever go. Love yourselfand do the best you can. Amen.”
After a brief moment of silence, he liftedhis head. “I’ll take a day blind any day overa day being drunk,” he said. “That’s the
God’s honest truth.” Wolfeil owes his success to the unend-
ing helpfulness of the people in his life.He even attributed most of his successin sobriety to one man in particular. “If it weren’t for Jerry Slabod, I probably wouldhave drunk again.”
Slabod had nothing but good things tosay about Wolfeil. “I’m 70 years old, and Ihaven’t met a lot of people who I respectas much as Randy, and that a fact,” saidSlabod. “If I had a son, he’d be my son.How would anybody handle somethingas sudden as this and come out ahead?Instead of wallowing in self-pity he imme-diately pushed it aside.”
Wolfeil maintains his independenceby walking to his mother’s house everyday, where she helps him treat his eyes with drops six times a day. He enjoys hisfavorite television programs and exercisesas much as he can to keep himself strong.
He even maintains his own goatee. At theend of the day, he walks back to his house with the help of his cane.
Things are still difficult, however, as hisinsurance is starting to refuse payment forcertain surgeries, and he has another foranother one his bottom eyelids comingup. His sister has set up a fundraiser t.
There is hope of gaining his eyesightback if he becomes eligible to receive theBoston Keratoprosthesis (KPro) corneasurgery, a surgery that involves replacinghis current cornea with an artificial one.
Currently, Wolfeil uses his hands to feelhis children’s faces when he visits them inorder visualize them.
“If I get my sight back, the first thing thatI am going to do is go visit my childrenbecause I haven’t seen their faces visuallyin 16 months.”
To help Wolfeil, visit www.gofundme.com/randywolfeil.
Accord man loses sight, inspiresothers with his optimism and attitude
Randy Wolfeil with his children, Cody, 12, and Sarah, 8.
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