PHOENIX — The Papago Archery Range has become a place that has Navy veteran James Malone looking at life a lot differently these days.
“My grandmother was blind, my mother was almost blind, my sister was diabetic, had glaucoma, it runs through my family,” said Malone.
In 2015, like so many in his family, Malone was diagnosed with glaucoma. An eye disease that eventually stole his sight too. A realization that immediately kicked off an internal battle so many have to face.
“Once you start losing sight or whatever your disability is, you want to give up,” said Malone.
That’s when he found the Recreational Therapy Program at the Phoenix VA and met Army veteran Joshua Parks who would guide him towards a new future.
“I want to know what they’re interested in doing, not whether or not they can or they can’t, because that’s our job to help them overcome those barriers,” said Parks.
The recreational therapist has been working with Malone for nearly a year helping to train his mind and body for archery by trusting his technique instead of his eyes. A blindfold he wears helps to eliminate the small amount of remaining vision he has to hone his focus.
“When they scream and say I hit a bullseye, I’m like wow,” said Malone.
“We’re coming out, we’re having fun, we’re doing the sports that they like,” said Parks.
Parks' mission is to introduce adaptive sports to as many veterans as possible who need it. More than 2,000 people have come through the program in the past few years. Gaining independence and renewed confidence by rediscovering their love of sport.
“Some veterans have visual impairments, spinal cord injuries amputations,” said Parks. “We also help veterans with Parkinson’s and mental diagnoses like PTSD.”
The list goes on but Malone says whatever ailment they arrive with, it can become their strength. The 67-year-old now tandem cycles with his wife and is set to go skiing this winter for the first time. Telling us he’s more motivated and active than ever.
“I’m doing a lot of things that I haven’t done and there’s still more things that I want to do, life doesn’t end when you have a disability,” said Malone.