Today, I get to introduce you to Kevin Frost, a World Champion Speed Skater. And while being a world champion speed skater is an incredible achievement, it isn’t what intrigued me about this story. What intrigued me is what Kevin has accomplished in spite of tremendous odds. You see, Kevin is deaf. And he is blind.
Allow that to sink in for a moment.
If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you’ll know how much I love sharing inspirational people with you, and so when I learned of Kevin’s story, I simply had to share it.
If you’d like a quick intro into Kevin’s story, watch the 5-minute video at the bottom of this post, produced by Accessible Media Inc.
I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did! I was just ecstatic that we were able to even have the conversation, under the circumstances. I was so pleased that Kevin’s 3% tunnel vision and his ability to lip read allowed this interview to happen. Awesome.
Turning A Negative Into A Positive
Kevin was bullied as a kid for having hearing aids, but he learned early on that turning a negative into a positive is the best way to handle any situation. He had become a master lip reader, and you’ll find out how this skill came in handy on the school yard. 🙂
He had an amazing support system, and his speech pathologist taught him a strategy that allows him to speak clearly, even now, with only 9% of his hearing intact.
Kevin loved being on the ice, and had dreams of being an NHL linesman. Although he had to say goodbye to that dream once he lost his vision, he refereed over 20,000 games throughout his career in various leagues including Junior A and OHL.
Losing His Freedom
At age 27, Kevin’s night vision started to fade. He was a self-proclaimed workaholic, putting in 90+ hours a week at Loeb/Metro and running his own landscaping company, all while raising three young children. When Kevin was 30, he saw an optometrist and in that one meeting, all of his freedom was taken away. He had to say goodbye to his career, his license was revoked, and he lost his independence.
Kevin was diagnosed with Usher’s Syndrome, Type 2. The major symptoms of Usher’s are hearing loss and an eye disorder called retinitis pigmentosa, or RP. RP causes night-blindness and a loss of peripheral vision (side vision) through the progressive degeneration of the retina.
Kevin decided to use fitness as an outlet, and he got involved in speed skating, rowing, track and tandem cycling. Kevin has been the World Blind Champion for 3 years in long and short track speed skating and he’s set 9 World records. Incredibly, in 2014, Kevin was ranked 13th in the world against able bodied speed skaters!
Giving Back
A big part of Kevin’s message is about giving back and “paying it forward.” In 2009, Kevin did a 100 km long track skate to help raise $5000.00 for the Rotary Home. He has done missions for 15 years in Mexico and he’s delivered over 250 motivational talks.
In 2010, Kevin won the United Way Community Builder Award and he continues to volunteer his time helping families get through health crises. During our conversation, he shares his story of how he helped Jenn, and I just love what he has done for this girl!
In 2012, Kevin opened an Association called the Impaired Speed Skating Association of Canada (ISSAC) and released his documentary movie, Blind Ambition. Contact Kevin at kevin-nemo@hotmail.com to order a copy and support the ISAAC.
In 2015, Kevin was honoured in the House of Commons as a role model for deafblind Canadians.
Canadian Guide Dogs For The Blind
Kevin is now working with his second guide dog. Both “Nemo” and “Lewis” have saved his life on many occasions. He talks about those experiences and Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind (CGDB) in this clip from our conversation.
“The Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind (CGDB) is a national, non-profit, charitable organization founded in 1984 to provide Canadians with greater mobility and independence through the use of professionally trained guide dogs (Nationally) and mobility assistance dogs (Ottawa area).”
Find out more at http://www.guidedogs.ca/index2.php
Stay Connected With Kevin
I hope you connect with Kevin and keep up with what he’s doing. He is an amazing athlete, community builder, leader and spokesperson. I can only imagine what he’ll achieve next in his career. I wish him all the best and I am so grateful to have had a chance to sit down and talk with him.
Find him on Twitter at @kevinspeedskate, on Facebook and at his website, http://deafblindspeedskater.com.
I hope this conversation inspired you in some way. It did for me. Knowing that Kevin is out there working hard both on and off the ice will act as a reminder that I can make a choice in any given moment. Life isn’t always perfect, but we can choose to turn negatives into positives, whenever they arise. I hope this post served you.
Because I want you to love your life one bite at a time.
P.S. Did this story inspire you? Have you faced challenges that you have overcome? Please share in the comments below. 🙂
P.P.S. Kevin talked about the use of Taurine, and I wanted to research it a bit. Taurine is a nonessential amino acid found naturally in the body and in foods (mainly in animal protein). Its name is derived from Bos Taurus (ox bile) which was first isolated more than 150 years ago. Taurine differs from most of the typical amino acids, as it is not fused into proteins, but exists as a free amino acid in most animal tissues. SOURCE: http://www.ewaystoimprovememory.com/what-is-taurine/
While taurine is commonly found in energy drinks, I highly dissuade you from drinking them. They are high in sugar and caffeine, so they over-stimulate the adrenal glands, which can lead to adrenal fatigue. To get this amino acid naturally, here is a list of foods naturally rich in taurine:
Animal origin: beef, pork, chicken (thigh), fish, octopus, seafood, dairy, eggs.
Plant origin: algae, almonds, beans, hazelnuts, chickpeas, lentils, brewer’s yeast, soybeans.
Other: breast milk.
Kevin has been led to it because additional research suggests that taurine can help prevent macular degeneration. Studies also suggest that it may help improve other conditions such as gallstones, and complications of diabetes. Taurine improves the absorption of fat in some individuals with cystic fibrosis. Taurine can prevent seizures in some cases, but research is conflicting. Vegetarians, the elderly and people with malabsorption syndromes may require additional taurine.
SOURCE: http://www.ewaystoimprovememory.com/what-is-taurine/
Please consult your doctor if you are considering the use of taurine from sources other than food. Have your blood work done if you feel this amino acid could be helpful to you.
P.P.S.S. Let’s be friends! Connect with me on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram. 🙂
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