Pushing limits
Despite vision and hearing loss, Jeremy Sexton finds freedom on the run
Jeremy Sexton, right, is accompanied by Kevin McDonnell, who is just one of several fellow runners who volunteer their time to help Sexton as “guides” during races. Sexton was born with Usher Syndrome Type 2C, causing severe hearing loss from birth and progressive vision loss.
Instead, with support from his family and the Knoxville-area running community, he remains determined to overcome any setbacks.
Sexton, 48, was born with Usher Syndrome Type 2C, a condition causing significant deafness from birth, and progressively impacting sight.
He began wearing hearing aids as a toddler and “did everything normal kids do,” he said.
That included playing soccer and basketball, and running track and cross country as a middle school student in Scott County.
After high school, he regularly drove to Roane State Community College’s Oak Ridge campus until being diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa in 1997, signaling his vision was deteriorating.
“I really think it started happening earlier than that,” Sexton said, recalling that an attempt to play baseball between seventh and eighth grades was derailed by noticeable vision loss. “I could see the chalkboard in seventh grade; then after summer break, I couldn’t.”
Sexton describes his eyesight as “kind of like tunnel vision.”
He has no peripheral sight, and wears glasses to help him see at a distance.
In public, he uses a cane and typically holds onto a shopping cart or companion to navigate.
He can see objects up close, allowing him to read or use a tablet, but noted that this limited ability can confuse bystanders.
“There’s a big misconception about being blind,” Sexton said. “Many people, when they hear someone say they’re blind, think it means total blindness, when really a small percentage of blind people are completely blind.
“When you’re legally blind, that’s it — you’re blind, whether completely or barely meeting the criteria. I meet the peripheral-loss criteria.”
He believes misunderstandings arise because there aren’t specific terms for varying levels of blindness.
“With hearing loss, they have different terms for levels of loss,” he said. “In my case, it’s moderately severe hearing loss.”
When Sexton’s vision noticeably worsened, support and information were limited.
“I’ve spent the last 28 years figuring out how to deal with it,” he said.
Nonetheless, Sexton persevered. He married his wife, Martha, in 2001, and they have three children: Jacob, Kayla and Elijah.
Sexton worked as a certified nursing assistant in Oak Ridge until 2009, when declining vision made it challenging to navigate hallways safely. “I worried I’d bump into an elderly person and hurt them,” he explained.
In 2009, Sexton found solace through running, and he has kept that up.
Living in a quiet Clinton neighborhood familiar to him, he trains independently five to six days a week. He even created a homemade visor to help focus straight ahead during sunny runs.
Sexton began entering races alone until 2019, when he realized he needed assistance.
“I signed up for a half marathon in Sevierville, scheduled for 8 a.m.,” Sexton recalled. “They said the course would be lit, but it ended up being dark. I tried to keep running slowly and tripped on a curb I couldn’t see. That’s when I thought I might need help.”
COVID-19 paused competitive races until late 2020, but Sexton used Facebook to recruit volunteers.
Initially, finding guides was difficult, but Kevin McDonnell of Farragut stepped up in January 2021 and has since assisted Sexton in several races.
McDonnell said they initially had to adjust to each other’s pace and communication styles.
“Jeremy is really fast,” he noted, likening their tandem runs to a three-legged race.
McDonnell is one of about 20 volunteers who have guided Sexton on foot or bicycle, providing both physical assistance and verbal cues.
“The secret is over-communicating,” McDonnell said. “I ask what he can see, helping determine what he can and can’t do. It’s all about safety. I run beside him, alerting him about people, cars or other obstacles. Every time we run together, I learn something new. It makes me feel good seeing the racing community support him.”
Sexton remains grateful for the help and encouragement.
“My family and God are most important,” he said. “I consider my guides family, whether they run with me or lead on a bike. My family calls me crazy but still gets up at 5 or 6 a.m. on weekends, taking me to races or meeting guides at Oak Ridge greenway.”
On Saturday, March 22, Sexton will run a 100K ultramarathon in Maryville, supported by six volunteer guides.
He may not have envisioned this life, but Sexton remains focused on his abilities.
“I can’t do much, but I can run,” he said. “Even if I’m ever completely blind, I’ll still be running.”
