Help Mandie See Her Family Again

I met Mandie Byrd in 2022 and I was instantly mesmerized by her. She had driven several hours to attend a craft retreat I was hosting and even though she didn't know anyone that was attending, that didn't stop her. She jumped right in, made new friends, and dazzled all of us with her scrapbooking skills, cranking out page after page of artistic and beautiful layouts that captured her family's adventures perfectly.

She also told us about herself. She told us that she had been a surrogate to a couple from Iceland - selflessly providing them with twins in 2014. She told us about the TED talk she gave in 2018 about her humanitarian work. She told us that she was a teacher and she absolutely loved her job. She told us that she was married to an amazing man and a mom to two incredible boys. She also told us that she had a variety of health issues that resulted in her needing a special diet, lots of doctor's appointments and surgeries, and lots of medical bills. But that didn't slow her down and it didn't dampen her spirit. We were all so impressed with her and became good friends in just a few days. Fast-forward four years and Mandie is still a good friend, but she needs our help. She doesn't usually ask for help, so when she does, we need to listen.

This is her story in her own words...

In February, I woke up and everything changed.

I had suddenly and inexplicably lost most of my vision. One day I could see, and the next—I couldn’t. Despite seeing every specialist from Boise to Salt Lake City, no one has been able to tell me why this happened. No diagnosis. No treatment. Just… darkness.

The most heartbreaking part? I haven’t been able to see the faces of my two beautiful boys, Malachi and Elijah, or the face of my husband—my best friend—who I’ve been married to for almost 20 years. I’ve missed seeing their smiles. I’ve missed being me.

Before this happened, I was a teacher for 14 years. My students were everything to me. My classroom was my second home. Having to leave that world due to ongoing medical issues broke my heart. Losing my vision took the rest.

I’ve always loved creating—scrapbooking, painting, making cards, embroidering—you name it, I probably love it. I also love to bake and cook, especially for others. Hosting dinners, feeding people, bringing joy into our home—those were my happiest moments. I loved to travel. But now I can’t enjoy any of these things anymore.

One of the things I miss the most is writing to my penpals. I’ve had penpals from all over the world, and receiving their letters always filled me with joy. Sitting down to read their words and write back was something I truly cherished. Not being able to read their letters or respond to them has absolutely broken my heart.

Most days, I feel like I’m only half alive. I wake up and wonder what the point is if I can’t live.

But there’s hope.

Recently, I met with a specialist who introduced me to Eyedaptic glasses—a revolutionary piece of adaptive technology that simulates natural vision. When I tried them for the first time, I saw a face for the first time since February. I read a word again. I even passed a driving test with them at my doctor’s office.

With these glasses, I could live again. I could see my children’s faces. I could write to my penpals. I could craft, cook, travel, drive—hope again. But they cost $5,000, and insurance won’t cover any of it.

If you’ve ever loved someone deeply… if you’ve ever lost something that made you who you are… if you believe in hope—you understand what these glasses mean to me.

Please help me get them. Please help me see again. Help me be a mom, a wife, a friend, a teacher at heart. Help me live.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

— Mandie