Sami Stoner and Her Guide Dog – Best Friends and Teammates
Sami Stoner is a gifted athlete and a gifted human being. After a rare disease left Sami blind when she was 14 years old, she decided to focus her energies on what she loved to do rather than what she could not do.
Sami loved to run. “If you love something enough, you’ll find a way,” she said. But how does a blind person run? Watch this great story about Sami and her best friend and guide dog, Chloe. It is filled with examples of determination, courage and teamwork.
“I would rather this happen to me than my sisters. Yes, it wasn’t exactly my plan. It sounds sad, but I would never want to go back and erase the experience of it. I would never wish this didn’t happen to me. Because, honestly, I think it’s made me a better person.”
Additional Resources:
- This article discusses what Sami is planning to do with her life and show her and Chloe at the prom!
- This article describes Stargardt’s Disease, the illness that caused Sami to lose her sight
Topics for Discussion:
- Imagine what it would be like to be blind? How would it change you?
- What is the toughest problem you or someone you know has overcome?
- What was Sami’s attitude when she found out she was going blind and how did her attitude shape her future?
Take Action:
- Guide Dogs of America has put together a great list of ways that kids can help them provide more dogs at no cost
- Every 5 seconds, someone goes blind. Help Vision 2020 raise awareness and support for blindness prevention on World Sight Day
Teacher Features:
- Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for elementary school students.
- Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for middle school students.
