My Walk with Lorenzo
By Krystena LuCastro · Originally published on Medium Nov 21, 2025
I never met the man in person, but boy did he make an impact on me.
His name was Lorenzo, and I met him through an app called Be My Eyes — a tool designed to help blind or visually impaired people navigate the world with the help of volunteers. What I thought would be a quick moment of support became one of the most profound conversations of my life.
As he walked, I helped.
With my eyes, I gave him the sight he needed to navigate the sidewalks of Southern California, describing what lay ahead.
Between each “Pole on your left,” or “The street is coming up — the crosswalk button is just ahead, to your left,”
he gave me something far more valuable than I gave him:
his perspective.
He shared his life — his ups and downs, what he’s grateful for now, and how he sees things more clearly than ever.
He talked about the growth he’s experienced, the regrets he’s worked through.
He shared that he was once married, now divorced, and how he wishes he could go back — not just to save the marriage, but to work on himself while he still had the chance.
And yet… he was still so full of gratitude.
For his children. For his grandchildren. For the life he does have.
He saw what could have been so differently — and it was refreshing.
Unexpected.
Yes, you read that right:
I met a blind man who could see better than me.
Lorenzo told me he didn’t miss his sight as much as he thought he would — because he still “sees” so many beautiful things.
I was so engrossed in his storytelling, I nearly made him fall a couple of times because I forgot to watch where he was going. Oops.
But he was gracious.
He never made me feel like I failed him.
As the walk continued — late afternoon, sun beginning to set — he started reminiscing.
He remembered the exact timing of the sunsets.
He remembered the mountainous views that were just up ahead.
And he knew exactly when to angle his phone’s camera upward…
just so I could see the glory of Mother Nature.
And boy, did I see it differently.
Because this time, I had to describe what I saw — something I had never really done before.
It gave me a whole new appreciation for my own sight.
It was absolutely beautiful.
I told him that.
He told me this was his favorite part of using the app.
Because he gets to hear the joy in people’s voices as they describe the sunset and the view of the mountains —
just to feel that moment again.
Just to relive the sight of a sunset, which was one of the few things he truly missed.
Then he shared more.
That he taught his grandchildren how to write in cursive — the blind man did that — offering them $5 for the effort.
That he lives with roommates, who are still amazed at how self-sufficient he is.
That he cooks on his own, and has only burned himself once.
He’s trained his other senses — touch, smell, intuition — to do what sight no longer can.
And most importantly, he reminded me that help isn’t just about seeing for someone.
It’s about being with someone.
Listening.
Appreciating.
Being present.
He said something I won’t forget:
“It’s not that hard to live without sight… because I rely on people. On connection.”
That one sentence reframed my world.
Lorenzo taught me that help looks like presence.
That life is richer when you love others — and let them love you.
That we should live fully now…
because tomorrow isn’t promised.
I saw more in one hour with Lorenzo
than many of us see in a lifetime.
He helped me see.
I thank you, Lorenzo.
⸻
🪞Pause & Reflect
• Who has helped you “see” something in a way you never could before?
• When was the last time you described beauty out loud — just so someone else could feel it too?
• What part of your life do you take for granted that someone else might see as a gift?
Take a moment.
Hold that awareness.
And maybe, like Lorenzo, share it with someone else today.
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Read the published version on Medium