Mom to run Boston Marathon blindfolded to inspire her blind son

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Wicked Local photo by Robin Chan

Dayton Norton and Leslie Norton show their love for their son, Sawyer, who goes to the Perkins Early Learning Center at the Perkins School for the Blind.

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By Liz Fuller

GateHouse News Service

Posted Apr 13, 2009 @ 04:18 PM

Hingham, Mass. —

When Hingham resident Leslie Nordin participated in the Vision 5K two years ago, she had no idea what sort of impact the race would have on her. But after running 3.1 miles blindfolded, Nordin said the experience was “life changing”. The Vision 5K is a charity race that allows sighted runners to understand what it is like to be blind or visually impaired, by challenging each runner to run blindfolded, along with a sighted guide. Nordin felt very strongly about the challenge because her 4-year-old son, Sawyer, is blind.

“It was so enlightening on all levels,” she said. “Not only as a parent of a blind child, but for myself as well.”

Now Nordin is taking on a new challenge: running the Boston Marathon blindfolded. Nordin will be running to raise money for the Perkins School for the Blind, where Sawyer attends school five days per week. It is also the institute made famous by one of its students, Helen Keller, and her teacher, Ann Sullivan.

“This is his second year there,” Nordin said. “His progress is slow but the services there are so specialized. In terms of learning, pieces are put together to comprehend content and we’re so grateful to the school for all that they are doing to help Sawyer.”

Nordin is running blindfolded to inspire Sawyer. “By completing this race, I hope to inspire Sawyer to meet the challenges he faces each and every day, and to raise funds to support the institution that gives him the tools to do so,” she said. “Because of Perkins, I know that Sawyer is getting the education and training he needs to reach the goals he will set for himself throughout his life.”