Virginia-native, Bryan, had heard about Be My Eyes from the National Federation of the Blind and Visually Impaired, but it wasn’t until he was invited to join the Android beta testing program that he became a user. Bryan was quite anxious about trying out Be My Eyes for the first time, as he was scared that the volunteer would laugh at his request. But once Bryan had gotten the courage to make the call, he had a completely different experience. He had asked the volunteer to assist him in making a cup of tea, and the volunteer was very kind and understanding. When Bryan asked the volunteer if he was bothered by such requests, his answer changed Bryan’s perspective on a service like Be My Eyes.
That really did make me smile, because that showed me that there will be people there. Kind people, who will be there to help me.
All the volunteers that Bryan has met through Be My Eyes have been extremely respectful, patient and kind. Another experience he remembers was when two British volunteers assisted Bryan in picking up his mail and returning to his apartment. The whole call took about 15 minutes, as Bryan has limited mobility. The two volunteers were patient and hung on for the entire journey, making sure that Bryan returned safely to his apartment. Bryan loves interacting with all the volunteers and always make sure to ask them about their motivation. Hearing these stories is something that puts a smile on Bryan’s face.
Be My Eyes has restored Bryan’s faith in humanity. The Be My Eyes volunteers are taking their task seriously and shows an amount of respect that Bryan hasn’t experienced much before. No matter how silly Bryan might think his request is, he’s always met with patience and understanding from the volunteers.
For me, Be My Eyes is more than a tool, it has become part of my life. I feel that this app is such a genuine restore of faith for someone like me, I never want to stop using it.
