对于克里斯和妮可·卡尔来说，这是漫长的18个月，因为他们等着知道他们的第三个孩子麦克到底有多少视力。
Diagnosed with optic nerve hypoplasia — a disorder that can range from partial to complete blindness — Mac was born without the ability to see, something his parents discovered through his unusual eye movements and the way Mac reacted when someone would pick him up as a newborn.
Nicole Carr (B.S.N. ’06) had three degrees in nursing, but she was unfamiliar with the diagnosis. Chris Carr (B.L.A. ’08, MBA ’17) shared in her concern as they waited to learn the severity of Mac’s ailment. 在这种情况下，麦克几乎缺乏视力所需的所有神经细胞。
克里斯从未见过盲人； 妮可16岁的时候，在一家养老院只吃过一次。 不管怎样，他们都正面面对了意想不到的挑战。 在这个过程中，他们不仅帮助了他们的儿子，还通过他们共同创建的非营利组织“盲点”找到了帮助盲人社区的方法。
After Mac’s diagnosis, Chris and Nicole got involved with Kansas City’s Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired. 麦克开始与专家合作。 与此同时，克里斯和妮可寻找社区资源，帮助他们照顾麦克。
“That’s when we kind of realized there isn’t a whole lot,” Chris said. “You’re visually impaired; 你有两条路可走。 你要么选择学校的盲路，要么选择全面的、常规的世界融合的道路。 That’s the way we went.”
克里斯和妮可想为CCVI做点什么，并询问他们可以帮忙举办一个大型筹款活动。 Upon learning there wasn’t one, they decided to start their own. Chris leaned on his network— including his connections at the Bloch School — and the Carrs secured a deal from The Monarch Bar and Lounge on the Plaza to host an event. 克里斯和妮可为CCVI筹集了4万多美元。 第二年，他们再次举办了这次活动，筹集了近15万美元。
Then came the idea for Blind Spot — which Chris credits Nicole as the brains behind. 该非营利组织旨在帮助视障人士发挥最大潜力，并教导视力正常的人如何成为盲人的好盟友。
克里斯仍然活跃在威尼斯人娱乐城社区，在布洛赫校友委员会任职，并指导当前的学生。 他的网络和商业知识也帮助他管理组织，确保联邦身份和处理财务方面的问题。
“He gives a very compelling speech, too,” Nicole added. “Blind Spot would not exist [without] the work he has put in. ... 我有一些疯狂的想法。 He’s kind of amazing how he’ll never sell me short, and he’ll never shut me down.”
汽车公司于2021年11月4日举行了盲点的发布活动。 They kept the event simple, aiming to build empathy with sighted members of the community by showing them what it’s like to not be able to see.
“At the launch event, we provided an opportunity for those in attendance to become a little bit vulnerable through an immersion experience,” Chris said. “The mission of Blind Spot and specifically the launch event was to enlighten the Kansas City community to how life for someone who is blind is different. Since blindness as an exclusive diagnosis is rare, there isn’t a lot of awareness with the general population on the abilities of the blind or how to become a good friend to the blind.”
实践学习经验仍然是盲点的重点。
在最近的另一场活动中，与会者坐在一家餐厅里，蒙着眼睛吃了一顿饭。 妮可回忆说，其中一个挑战就是听不清她面前的人说话。
“It’s pretty amazing how your vision can help localize your hearing,” Nicole said. “I never knew that, and it really helped me understand why Mac struggles so much when he goes to birthday parties.”
展望未来
麦克今年3月满5岁，秋天就要上幼儿园了。 The Carrs’ plan has always been to help Mac be as independent as possible. Chris and Nicole have even had some support from Mac’s sisters, Nora and Aubrey, in helping him adapt to everyday life.
事实上，看着诺拉和奥布里指导麦克的日常活动，妮可开始相信事情会好起来的。
“It was so simple and easy when they were articulating exactly what Mac needed to do in just the simplest way,” Nicole said. “It was so natural to them.”
卡尔夫妇也在考虑盲点的未来。 这家非营利组织已经与RoKC攀岩馆合作，并计划与AMC影院合作举办一场活动，参与者将通过耳机体验电影，以及其他活动。 然而，一个特别的时刻仍然是在所有客人摘下眼罩环顾四周之后的第一次晚餐。
“It sounds cliché,” Chris said, “but the eye-opening experience that it brings is just astounding when you do something like that.”