A California Correctional Deputy who has been colorblind his entire life received an amazing gift from his colleagues just in time for Thanksgiving.
Jeff Dishmon has been working with Samantha Freese, a fellow correctional deputy, for about 8 years.
Fox 13 reports that the two have such a camaraderie that Dishmon has nicknamed her “granddaughter,” while Freese jokes that he’s a “grandpa.”
“Dishmon has been color blind his whole life, which has sometimes been a source of frustration for him and others around him,” the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page reads.
“Freese and other correctional deputies pitched in to purchase Enchroma glasses for Dishmon and presented them to him today at the Sheriff’s SWAP Farm,” they wrote on November 14th.
The reaction Dishmon had at seeing color for the first time was incredible. We defy you to watch this and shed nary a tear …
How Dishmon finally saw color
Freese had another deputy present Dishmon with a bunch of balloons, each with a different vibrant color. He then placed the glasses over his other spectacles and almost immediately everyone in attendance was fighting back tears.
“What do you see?” Freese asked.
The deputy had a simple three-word response – “A different world.”
Dishmon immediately thought of his wife whom he said would want to watch the sunset with him.
At the end of the video segment, Dishmon is seen calling her on the phone to tell her the amazing news.
“For the first time in my life, I see all the colors,” he told his wife, looking out across the field. “You wouldn’t believe this place. This whole place is lit up. I mean, the whole world is lit up.”
What’s next For Dishmon
Aside from the sunset, Dishmon has an adjustment period to get through before everything grows even more clear and vibrant.
A nice reminder to not take anything for granted, including the ability to see COLOR!
With the help of glasses, this deputy gets to see a “different world.” https://t.co/d5QWI9ls6O
— ABC 7 Amarillo (@ABC7Amarillo) November 18, 2018
Freese and other deputies in the video explained it will take a couple of weeks for his eyesight to adjust to the glasses. The Enchroma user manual suggests “optimal effectiveness” can be obtained “over the course of 1-2 weeks” if the glasses are periodically worn in different situations throughout that time.
Judging by Dishmon’s reaction, he might not take them off at all during that timeframe.
Can you blame him? With Thanksgiving right around the corner, colors jumping off of holiday foods, decorations, and the fall foliage has to be quite a sight for the first time.
