When runner #10706 crossed the finish line at the 2015 ASICS LA Marathon, a 26.2 mile run brought an entire family’s story full circle. Her name is Emma Leitzinger and her t-shirt read Blind Children’s Center, representing the first school she attended. In many regards, Emma was no different from the other 25,000 runners on the course that day. Watching her race past with a long, natural stride, she seemed like a born runner.
After a year of watching their second child develop, Irma Gomez and her husband Sergio noticed something was different in the way young Nicolas studied objects, toys, and other children. “He would lean in closer or put objects closer to his face than you’d expect,” Irma remembered. “At first, we thought it was just Nico’s unique way of learning and interacting, but soon, we realized something was wrong with his vision.”
Karen Arcos is a USC graduate and one of our most dedicated volunteers at the Center. She attended Blind Children’s Center from the age of six months through preschool.
