A firefighter who suffered from color blindness broke down after seeing the American flag correctly for the first time.
Douglas County, Georgia firefighter Spencer Caradine wasn’t aware he had red-green color blindness. However, his co-worker, Jordan Gardner, helped the 21-year-old realize something was amiss with his sight during a hike when Caradine couldn’t see something Gardner pointed out.
“I never thought it was a problem,” Caradine said. “I guess my colors were just different than everyone else’s.” After taking a colorblind test, the results confirmed Gardner’s suspicions about Caradine’s color blindness.
Thanks to the generosity of Gardner and other firefighters who purchased a pair of EnChroma glasses for him, Caradine can now see the world in a new light.
Gardner presented the glasses to Caradine as a special gift on the 4th of July. Caradine described feeling “overwhelmed, excited, and a little confused about what was going on.”
He said, “They told me it was a get-together for the 4th of July,” he shared. “A bunch of people from the department showed up. We had a big breakfast, and after that, they told me what was really going on. I didn’t really know what to think or say to them when they presented the glasses.”
Gardner also shared a clip on Facebook showing Caradine’s reaction to wearing the glasses for the first time. The video shows Caradine stepping outside and seeing the red, white, and blue colors of the American flag, and his response is priceless.
“It was insane. It was crazy. It blew my mind,” Caradine said. “It was so much different from what I’ve ever seen. It was more beautiful.” Caradine explained why the American flag was the first thing he wanted to see: “I wanted to see the American flag because I guess I never truly knew what the American flag really looked like,” he said.
“I saw my red, which [apparently] wasn’t red at all. The flag is something I love, and if anything was going to change, that would be the first thing I would want to see. The fire engine just made it even better.”
Caradine continued to be surprised when Gardner took him to a baseball game where they watched the fireworks together. He became emotional as he wore his new glasses and saw a spectrum of colors he’d never seen before.
“He got emotional, I got emotional, and by the time it was over, the entire section we were sitting in realized what was happening, and there were about a hundred people crying,” Gardner shared on Facebook.
“This has been the most incredible, humbling experience of my life, and I’m so glad I got to be a part of it!”
The EnChroma glasses have made a world of difference for the color blind, and this story of Caradine’s reaction to seeing the American flag is melting our hearts.
Watch the Emotional Moment Below.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
Video not working?