Gerard Boucher

Gerard Boucher

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Gerard Boucher
Haverhill, Massachusetts
August 28, 2009
Dear President Obama:
I was wounded in the war on October 11, 1967, at the age of twenty. I went from the hospital to a Veterans Administration blindness rehabilitation center in early 1968. I tried to absorb everything that the center had available for blind veterans. One of the most important things I learned while there was Braille. Braille has been a writing skill that I have used throughout all of my educational and employment experiences.
When I learned Braille, no high-end technology existed. Even though I have never read Braille as fast and fluently as a person born blind, I used Braille to obtain my associate's, bachelor's, and master’s degrees. Additionally, I use Braille in everyday activities: creating a Braille telephone directory; taking notes in meetings, courses, and lectures; and writing down critical information, especially while working in real estate.
These are only some of the reasons that I use Braille. The blind have an effective and independent means of reading and writing, thanks to Mr. Louis Braille.
Sincerely,
Gerard Boucher, Blinded Combat Veteran