Our hosts, Dave and Erik, reunite with Kyle Coon - a longtime friend of No Barriers. Erik and met Kyle when he was just a kindergartener struggling with his recent onset of blindness. With Erik as his role model, Kyle became determined to live to his fullest potential. He became a world-class athlete and is now on the path to competing in the Paralympics. Not having sight has not stopped Kyle from embracing Vision.
Kyle Coon lost his sight at the age of six after a battle with Retinoblastoma—cancer of the eye. However, not having sight has not stopped him from pursuing his vision. Since then he has become a competitive rock climber, downhill skier, runner, and triathlete.
After summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro at the age of 15, Kyle knew he needed to live a life filled with adventure. After getting his college degree and trying the working world for a bit, he decided to pursue his dream of becoming an endurance athlete, competing in numerous marathons and triathlons.
In 2018, he was a member of the first team of tandem cyclists with all blind or visually impaired stokers to complete Race Across America—the world’s toughest bicycle race—racing from Oceanside, Calif to Annapolis, Md in seven days 15 hours. Later in 2018, at Ironman Arizona, Kyle became the first totally blind person to complete an Ironman branded Triathlon (2.4 mi swim, 112 mi bike, 26.2 mi run) in under 11 hours. He continues to push himself physically and mentally as he now pursues his goal of representing the USA at the 2020 Paralympics in the sport of Triathlon.
#eyeronvision
Resources:
Purchase Kyle’s book, Discovering A Life Without Limits: How Cancer Took My Sight, Blindness Gave Me Vision and the Mountains Let Me Live
Code: NOBARRIERS to donate $1.00 to No Barriers with each purchase
Learn more about Kyle: https://kylecoon.com/
Watch Erik and Kyle on Oprah