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Blind cyclist completes 206-mile ride to Portland

Posted at 9:31 AM, Jul 15, 2019
and last updated 2019-07-15 11:31:06-04

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    Portland, OR (KPTV) — Thousands of cyclists finished the 206-mile ride from Seattle to Portland Sunday.

Two of those people were Clark Roberts and his captain, Jacob Kemmerer, from the Seattle area.

It was Kemmerer’s first race, and Roberts’ first like this in 15 years.

It’s another significant ride for Roberts because he faces a major challenge – he lost his sight at the age of 24.

“I thought about ending it all, throwing my life away,” said Roberts. “But because of the grace of God I stand here today. I get off this bicycle knowing that I can still go out, I can still enjoy, I can still have a life because I’ve accepted to go out and use it. Bless other people, help others understand that life is a gift. Cherish it, unwrap it, and then share it.”

Roberts calls it his ‘gift’ – his gift of sight loss he uses to help other people. Roberts goes to various schools helping teach students about kindness, compassion, and confidence.

Through his non-profit organization,Ultimate Vision, he teaches students to celebrate each other’s differences.

“Your accomplishments are not measured by your abilities or disabilities, but rather by our willingness to go out and try,” Roberts tells FOX 12.

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