One young man who was blinded nearly 10 years ago understands the challenges that can come after suffering a serious injury. When this New York City man was 16 years old, he and several friends were approached by muggers. He refused to give money to them and the muggers retaliated by stabbing him several times.
As a result of the attack, he reportedly lost significant amounts of blood, had several strokes and went into cardiac arrest. Due to a lack of oxygen in his brain, the young man became blind. After struggling to accept his new state for awhile, he eventually accepted help learning how to live without sight.
This young man has faced numerous struggles since his accident as a teenager, including becoming homeless after his stepfather kicked him and his mother out of their home. However, he continues to take on the challenges that life has dealt him and make the best of them. With the help of a charity, he received training as an interpreter and now works as a Spanish interpreter in several settings.
In addition to caring for himself, this young man lives with and helps his mother who has had difficulty finding work. He has even put some of his earnings towards job training for his mother.
Throughout these challenges, he and his mother have lived off of a small amount of food support and Social Security disability insurance. This hard-working man is taking action to improve his and his mother's lives. Even though he is working, his $240 Social Security disability benefits provide a significant amount of help.
This man's case demonstrates that a person who is working can receive disability benefits. As this young man stated, "I'm actually trying."