John Miller is a sweet, articulate and friendly person. I met him on twitter, and we hit it off immediately. I’d say we have similar values and we both care about others — and we’re kinda quirky in a fun way! In fact, when I asked him to send me a picture, he sent one where he’s dressed as a sheep for Halloween. I love it! John says the picture “expresses his oddness.”

Read about some of his life experiences and how they’ve made him who he is today. He’s an ambitious and caring blind individual with a passion for life that’s sure to inspire you!

ATG: What do you do “for a living?”
John: Currently, I torture myself by attending graduate school for rehab counseling and psychology. My ultimate goal is to find a way to bring people with disabilities and travel together.

ATG: What’s your favorite childhood memory?
John: My first airplane trip, which was from Charlotte to Los Angeles. We were headed out there to compete in an event called the Braille Institute Olympics. We trained for months, but were still slower runners than most of the other athletes there. I didn’t care though, as I got to meet some celebrities and visit Magic Mountain amusement park.

ATG: Have you ever been discriminated against or treated poorly for being who you are?
John: I was once denied a chance at employment when the hiring person heard that I was blind. She told me and my job placement specialist to turn around and leave because “he can’t even see the screen!” This was before we even pulled into the parking lot.

I know it’s something I should have fought, but I lacked the advocacy skills to do so at the time. It gave me a taste of how cold and cruel some people can really be.

ATG: What do you believe in?
John: I believe there’s ultimate goodness in people. Despite me mentioning how cold and cruel some people are, I have actually had many more positive experiences.

ATG: What are your life goals?
John: To gain a real sense of independence for myself. Then, I’ll reach out to help others do the same.

ATG: What do you do to “de-stress?”
John: Turn the volume way up and bounce around! You’d be surprised at how getting your blood flowing can change things. I admit that if things are looking particularly bad, I might crawl into bed either for a short nap or an early crash. I think the first method is actually more effective.

ATG: Do you volunteer or support non-profits?
John: I just joined the board of the Norrie Disease Association. This disease is what caused my blindness and hearing loss. The association aims to conduct research to help persons with Norrie Disease and their families cope more effectively with its inherent challenges. They had a conference in Boston this past August, and I hope that I gave as much to the individuals I met as they did for me.

ATG: What song means something to you? Why?
John: After Michael Jackson’s unfortunate death, I listened to “Man in the Mirror” and learned the lyrics. That song means a lot to me. It tells us that if we want change, we need to first look at ourselves and how we treat and regard the rest of the world. It’s something not enough of us think about.

ATG: What are you passionate about?
John: As I said earlier, I have a strong desire to make the world a little better for persons with disabilities. I am heartened by the strides we’ve made in recent years, but there is still much to be done.

I am also passionate about travel. It fascinates me to learn how many different ways there are to live this life. As I’ve gone from place to place, I’ve encountered people to whom I wish I’d remained connected, and others with whom I’ve been fortunate to become life friends.

ATG: How do you inspire others?
John: That’s obviously difficult to answer. I’ve been told that people are inspired by the fact that I often find ways to overcome significant odds and achieve great things. I guess I’m just trying to find a way to make my actions speak louder than my words.

ATG: What advice would you give someone who needs inspiration? Confidence?
John: The same advice I give myself — when life seems at its darkest, you are being shaped into the person you’re meant to be. Embrace it. Find ways to deal that go above and beyond anything you thought you were capable of and feel yourself stretch mentally and spiritually.

If you’d like to learn more about John, visit his blog. You can also follow him on Twitter, @johnmill79, or email him at johnmill79@gmail.com.