Blind man still works at age 74


"What does me being blind have to do with getting a job again, if any worries it should be my old age,” chuckled Mr. Statezum. As I sat and observed him at times during the conversation I would forget that he was even blind. In his home lived his wife and son Jean along with his sons three kids. For the whole hour or so I was there he did not ask them to bring him anything or do anything for him. He did it himself.

Everyone knows Charlie Statezum has been a hardworking man all his life and now that the economy is getting worse he has decided to come out of retirement and go back into the work force. He wants his wife along with himself to make it through their old age without having to struggle, if push comes to shove.
Charlie is respected by many he is known as a great father to the neighborhood and a hard working man, despite his disability.
"I want to work until I die, there is no need for me to sit around the house and be idol, and just grow old, I have been working 52years of my life, i catch the transit system alone when my wife cant come, I basically know my way all around Atlanta, Georgia. I have been blind since I was 23.” Charlie has been employed at many different companies, but brail machines were given for Charlie to complete his work on. Charlie has raised three kids who are now grown and have their own families. Every summer all 13 of his grandkids come to stay with him for two weeks and he shares his life stories an motivates them to keep moving on, no matter what difficulties they face. Mr.Statezum expresses that it has been a struggle to find a job, until he realized that the blind convention he attends every year should definitely be able to help him out. During these blind conventions the sponsors distribute the latest gadgets that help the blind, and also broadcast career opportunities for all ages.Charlie’s family supports him in everyway and encourages him to work. “People make excuses everyday as to why they cant get a job, and blah blah! But I am blind that is the biggest excuse in the world! I can not see anything, and yet I still push on as if everyone is blind, and there is nothing in the world to see, only feel, smell, and hear.”Despite the old age and handicap of being blind Charlie percieves the world as his own, and will take on every opportunity and until it is actually time for him to throw in the towel.