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Legally blind Las Vegas mom trains for a marathon

Posted at 11:29 PM, Jun 15, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-17 07:17:33-04

Despite being visually impaired, a Las Vegas mom is not letting her disability stop her from running a marathon.

Terri Rupp trains four days a week for the Las Vegas Rock and Roll marathon in November. She knows it's going to be an uphill climb.

"I can't see detail. I don't see well enough to drive. I don't see well enough to read or recognize faces," she says.

Terri has optic nerve atrophy. She is mostly blind, and there's a possibility she'll completely lose her sight.

Since she was diagnosed at 2-years-old, she says she's struggled with self-worth.

"I felt like because I can't see well enough. I wasn't good enough," Terri says.

Then her daughter was also diagnosed with optic nerve atrophy. But she remained strong and positive.

"I knew that she was going to be okay because I'd already gone through it." 

Now, Terri is the president of the National Federation of the Blind Nevada. She teaches braille at the Blind Center, blogs during her free time, and is part of Achilles Las Vegas -- a nonprofit providing training and support for athletes with disabilities.

With the use of a tether attached to Terri and a guide, she will be able to fulfill her dream of running in a marathon.

"Blind people can live the life we want. We don't let it hold us back," says Terri.