Let this story be a lesson to us all! People with disabilities deserve compassion and understanding, but sadly, that is not always the case. At 37, Amit faced a new challenge in life when he lost his sight due to keratoconus, a condition that causes the cornea to degenerate. Having lived the first 32 years with normal vision, this transition was difficult. Fortunately, Amit had unwavering support from his wife, Seema, and soon found a guide dog named Kika, who became an invaluable companion. Kika’s presence gave Amot the confidence to navigate the world independently, providing Seema with some much-needed rest.
The guide dog led Amit wherever he needed to go, and with Kika by his side, Amit felt more self-assured, venturing out alone. He believed that most people treated the blind with respect and kindness. However, Amit started to notice unsettling behaviors that made him question his perception.
Disturbed by the feeling that people were mocking him, Amit decided to attach a video camera to Kika’s back to uncover the truth. One day, he set out on his usual walk around London, this time with the camera recording everything. When he returned home, he asked Seema to watch the footage.
What Seema saw left her horrified. The video revealed a series of distressing incidents. It began with a woman placing her bags on a tram seat, preventing Amit from sitting next to her. Amit stood awkwardly in the crowded tram, not asking for a seat, while no one offered him one. The footage also showed people shoving Kika with their bags and umbrellas, impatiently trying to pass by. Some individuals even shoved Amit and his guide dog just to move ahead faster.
The most heart-wrenching part was watching Amit struggle to catch a taxi. It was clear that drivers deliberately passed by, unwilling to stop for a blind man. At the bus station, Amit was ignored by the workers, who intentionally avoided assisting him. This was no figment of Amit’s imagination; people were genuinely unkind and dismissive.
Amit recalled the moment he decided to record everything. It was after he was pushed on an escalator, with people acting as though there wasn’t enough space. Once, a woman demanded an apology from Amit for not noticing her in an underground passage. When he asked if he should apologize for being blind, she responded affirmatively.
A children's doctor had been evicted and had left items behind when she left. Among them was something alarming: a plastic storage bin, where a dog had been locked inside. If someone is this cruel to a small, defenseless dog, how can they continue to treat children as a doctor?
Despite these cruel encounters, Emmet remained grateful for Kika, who once saved his life by pulling him back from an oncoming car that ran a red light. Amit hoped that sharing his video would encourage people to show more kindness and understanding toward those with disabilities.
Seeing the reality through Seema’s eyes, Amit and his wife were in shock at the extent of the cruelty. They hoped that exposing this behavior would inspire people to be more compassionate and considerate. We hope so, too!
Toledo, United States.
