Disability Redefined: Stories From the Front Lines: RZ8_5630B

Derrean Tucker and his wife, Deshan, prepare a spaghetti dinner, navigating the kitchen without sight—both are blind. They married in 2023 and have never seen each other, except through touch. “I lost my sight after I was jumped by a gang in prison four years ago,” Derrean said. “I was in a gang as a teen and got busted for armed robbery. I was stupid. Then, in prison, another gang jumped me and beat me. My sight gradually disappeared.”Deshan’s vision deteriorated after she suffered a stroke. The two met over the phone when she was working for a blind advocacy organization and he called seeking help after his release from prison. Despite their low income and limited job opportunities, they remain hopeful. Both are active in voter registration advocacy in LaGrange, Georgia, where they share a modest rental home.

Derrean Tucker and his wife, Deshan, prepare a spaghetti dinner, navigating the kitchen without sight—both are blind. They married in 2023 and have never seen each other, except through touch. “I lost my sight after I was jumped by a gang in prison four years ago,” Derrean said. “I was in a gang as a teen and got busted for armed robbery. I was stupid. Then, in prison, another gang jumped me and beat me. My sight gradually disappeared.” 

Deshan’s vision deteriorated after she suffered a stroke. The two met over the phone when she was working for a blind advocacy organization and he called seeking help after his release from prison. Despite their low income and limited job opportunities, they remain hopeful. Both are active in voter registration advocacy in LaGrange, Georgia, where they share a modest rental home.