Reporter: being blind might help - 19th August 2024

Gary O’Donoghue is a BBC reporter. He was at an event for Donald Trump. He heard a gunshot. Someone tried to shoot Trump.

Afterwards, O’Donoghue asked people questions. But O’Donoghue is blind. This helped him to report the news.

O’Donoghue spoke to Greg Smith. Smith gave important information about the shooting.

Other reporters didn’t ask Smith any questions. He looked unusual. He had a beer can and strange hair. But O’Donoghue couldn’t see this.

Smith’s answers were important. They gave a clear picture of the event.

O’Donoghue went blind when he was 8. But he worked hard. He went to Oxford University. Later, he became a reporter at BBC radio.

O’Donoghue uses tools to help him at work. Braille helps him to read fast. And screen readers speak information on websites.

O’Donoghue is a good example to others. And his blindness is a skill. He can understand the world in a different way.

Photo credit: Tim Kennedy, CC BY 2.0 and SWinxy CC BY 4.0 via Wikicommons