Photo of Miles Hilton Barber
Blogs, Inspiration

From Blindness To Breaking Records, The Story of Two Inspiring Brothers.

Miles Hilton Barber and his brother Geoffrey, both blind, took vastly different paths in the face of their disability. Geoffrey’s incredible journey across the Southern Ocean and Miles’ subsequent flight to Australia showcase the power of the human spirit and the importance of setting ambitious goals.

In his fifties, Geoffrey embarked on a seemingly impossible feat – building a boat by touch and sailing it solo across one of the world’s most treacherous stretches of water, the Southern Ocean, from South Africa to Australia. This act defied limitations and challenged the perception of what blind people could achieve. Friends, understandably worried, suspected a suicidal intent. However, Geoffrey completed the voyage in 51 days, setting a world record.

Group photo of Geoffrey Hilton-Barber with his team.

Geoffrey’s accomplishment served as a wake-up call for Miles. He realized that blindness didn’t have to dictate his life’s trajectory. While Geoffrey had actively pursued adventure, Miles had been passively waiting for a miracle cure. Geoffrey’s words, urging him to be a “Cedar of Lebanon, growing way above the rest,” planted the seed of ambition in Miles. He understood that his purpose wasn’t just to have a job but to inspire others.

Geoffrey’s advice to focus on dreams rather than problems became Miles’ guiding principle. He set his sights on becoming a pilot, a seemingly impossible goal for a blind man then. Flight instruments lacked speech output, a crucial feature for Miles. He embarked on a four-year odyssey, facing rejections and setbacks. A persistent Miles wouldn’t give up, finally finding a technical expert to collaborate with.

Photo of Blind pilot and adventurer, Miles Hilton-Barber

Miles’ unwavering spirit and unwavering belief in his dream finally paid off. He secured a sponsor and eventually, after years of struggle, achieved his goal. In April 2007, Miles landed in Sydney, Australia, after a 55-day, 21,000 km microlight flight. This remarkable feat, achieved with the help of speech output technology and a co-pilot, not only set a new record but also raised funds for a worthy cause – eradicating preventable blindness in developing countries.

Miles’ flight was just one chapter in a remarkable story that included climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and running an ultramarathon. The brothers’ journeys stand as a testament to the human spirit’s ability to overcome limitations and the power of setting ambitious goals. Their story is an inspiration to anyone facing challenges, a reminder that with perseverance and a touch of Geoffrey’s “Cedar of Lebanon” spirit, even the seemingly impossible can be achieved.

(Note: India accounts for around 20% of the global blind population. Project Eyeway is an initiative by Score Foundation that acts as a one-stop knowledge resource for those people who are living their lives with blindness. Eyeway operates a national toll-free Helpdesk — 1800 53 20469.)

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