Bill Barkeley

deaf-blind adventurer, advocate, author & storyteller (public speaker)

605 Lovett Avenue Southeast East Grand Rapids, MI, 49506 United States

616-780-9432

Bill is a deaf-blind adventurer, advocate, author & public speaker (storyteller) that speaks and delivers adventure projects to inspire people around the world - disabled or not - on building a pioneering, adventuring spirit and overcoming the challenges in their lives.

Bill's work is about helping others get to a better place in this world and paying it forward in a life that has been rich and fulfilling beyond his wildest imagination.

Bill's groundbreaking climb as the first deaf-blind person to summit Mount Kilimanjaro was covered on Good Morning America.

The story was to share a personal journey about building a life within the context of your abilities and disabilities.

In Bill’s case, the journey is an inexorable march further and further into darkness and silence.

He is a pioneer with assistive technologies for the hearing impaired / deaf, the vision impaired / blind and those with dual sensory challenges -the deaf-blind.

Bill is one of 15,000 in the United States and 100,000 in the world with Usher's Syndrome which progressively robs its victims of both hearing and vision over the course of their lifetime. There are currently no treatments and cures.

See why in many ways he believes that it may be the best thing that ever happened to him.

Audience with Pope Francis?

March 23, 2014  /  bill barkeley

An incredible and amazing story of my wife Mary Beth.

Mary Beth found out that in the history of the papacy there has never been an audience with the deaf and/or blind exclusively. Last week, Pope Francis announced he will host a private event for just this group on March 29th.

Mary Beth wrote a beautiful letter to Pope Francis asking for me to join in on that special audience for my birthday and the work I do with the deaf-blind around the world. She worked local contacts, the bishop, a U.S.cardinal and even hit the phone lines by calling directly to the Papal Prefecture.

Her contact in Rome told us nothing is guaranteed but that we should book tickets to Rome and come this week. On Friday, I booked tickets for Will and I and we leave tomorrow for Rome!

Keep us in your thoughts as we start our journey and hope that we get invited into the private papal audience on March 29th!

Stay tuned to another amazing adventure...

Helen Keller said it best ..."Life is an adventure or nothing!"

The Pope and the Boston Marathon make for an amazing Spring!


 

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