I want you to meet a friend of mine. His name is Donovan Tildesley.
He’s 26 years old, a graduate from the University of British Columbia and an insurance broker.
Donovan’s also a golfer and a competitive swimmer. And he loves nothing better than to ski the steepest double black diamond runs he can find.
Sounds like your ordinary athletic young man who loves life, doesn’t he? But Donovan is anything but ordinary…
I met Donovan through my golf coach, Ginny Golding. She started coaching Donovan 2 years ago; and when I asked her about that, she said, “Donovan teaches me how to see the world through his eyes and I teach him golf.”
Donovan Tildesley is blind.
Donovan was born with Leiber’s Amaurosis, a condition which left him without retinas. But despite that disability, Donovan has achieved more in his 26 years than most people achieve in a lifetime. He’s a man with limitless vision.
Donovan is a Paralympian, who also holds 2 world records in swimming. Not only is he an extraordinary athlete, he’s an extraordinary human being, giving countless hours of his time to help others, like the Canadian Harambee Educational Society, a wonderful charity that helps young women in Africa receive an education.
Donovan’s also an eloquent, motivational speaker who challenges his audiences to be the best that they can be, whether they be in school or already in the corporate world.
I spoke to Donovan about his life, his accomplishments, his golf game and his future. His story is an inspiration to us all. And he’s just getting started.
Part 1 of my interview with Donovan:
Part 2…
In golf and in life, we all have our heroes. I think I just discovered mine in both.
Thank you Donovan!
Golfgal
Non-golfing photos courtesy of Donovan Tildesley (http://www.limitlessvision.ca)
Thanks for sharing this amazing story. Reminds me that our vision is an asset and a liability!
Thanks Elizabeth. Donovan is amazing, that’s for sure. And I found it interesting that he said being blind, he has less fear because he can see what’s ahead of him on the golf course or those double diamond ski hills.
I hope he’ll play someday in paralympic golf -that would be very cool!
Cheers
Gayle
Gotta love people like this. They encounter adversity and just push through it. He has done more with his life than most people that are fully capable have. Hats off to him.
ryan
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WOW!!! This story inspires me incredibly Thank you for this!
This is an amazing story! It is amazing what our minds will allow us (or deny us) to do. Very inspiring! Thanks.
Thanks Julie and GolfGirlJunior for your comments. Certainly Donovan is an inspiration. When I get down on the golf course, I try and remember the look on Donovan’s face when he smacked his drive. Puts everything into perspective quickly! 🙂
Cheers
Gayle
After hearing your praises for your hero, it’s like he’s my hero too. Hope he will be able to motivate more lives.
After hearing your praises for your hero, it’s like he’s my hero too. Hope he will be able to motivate and inspire more lives. Golf Carts Phoenix AZ