Growing up in Mineral Wells, Texas, during the 1950s and 60s was anything but idyllic for Walter Ashby. Due to a misdiagnosis and medical error, his sister Janie went from being a lively young girl to a shell of a person who required their parents' attention 24 hours a day, every day. To add insult to injury, his parents received another blow: before Walter was six years old, he lost 98 percent of his vision, leaving him legally blind. Speaking as though he was not present, doctors told Walter's parents not to expect much: he wouldn't graduate from high school, let alone attend college. He would never drive, and probably wouldn't do anything meaningful with his life. While the diagnosis stung, instead of looking at his disability as an impairment, Walter saw it as a challenge. He didn't want to be a burden to his parents-instead Walter chose to disregard his naysayers and prove how wrong they were. By relying on faith-along with his own initiative and a handful of caring adults including his father-not only did he graduate from high school and college, Walter earned two graduate degrees, married the girl of his dreams, became a father, and enjoyed a long and successful career helping others. Walter proved the cynics wrong. Impaired, But Empowered is a story of the human spirit and how that spirit has been passed to future generations-both Ashby's daughters and one grandson inherited the same gene and are also sight-impaired. Most of all, Impaired, But Empowered is the story about why you should never stop believing in yourself or your faith.
About the Author: When Walter D. Ashby was a boy, doctors told his parents not to expect much: he wouldn't graduate from high school, let alone attend college. He would never drive, and probably wouldn't do anything meaningful with his life. Walter suffered from a rare genetic disorder-optic atrophy-that left him legally blind. Instead of accepting his disability as an impediment, Walter viewed it as a challenge. By relying on faith-along with his own initiative and a handful of caring adults, including his father-not only did he graduate from high school and college (with a B.A. in History and Government from Tarleton State University), Walter earned two graduate degrees (Master's of Urban and Regional Planning from Texas A&M University, and an MBA from the University of Texas). He married the girl of his dreams, became a father, and has enjoyed a long and successful professional career. Walter is a top financial advisor with Edward Jones. Prior to joining the firm, he prospered as a director of urban planning, a senior city planner, an adjunct professor, and as a director of marketing research, and held several positions within the FDIC. He also is an accomplished business writer. While all of these positions represented a challenge because of his disability, Walter thrived thanks to his faith and fortitude. For his achievements and courage, Walter received the 1990 Presidential Award for Most Outstanding Federal Employee with Disabilities. Walter is a big believer in giving back to his community-he served as president for both the Midland (Texas) Special Education Advisory Board and Midland (Texas) Recording Library for the Blind. He is a deacon and Sunday school teacher, as well as past chairman of his church's Budget and Finance Committee, also located in Midland, Texas. He and his wife, Gail, have two daughters and four grandchildren. Both of Walter's daughters, as well as his grandson, also suffer from optic nerve atrophy, making his commitment to helping those with disabilities even more personal.