John Albrecht, a 79-year-old veteran, remains active despite being legally blind, participating in skiing and curling. He encourages others with disabilities to embrace new activities to stay active.
Key points
John Albrecht is a 79-year-old veteran.
He is legally blind but actively participates in sports.
He enjoys skiing and curling.
Albrecht has attended the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic four times.
He represents the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center.
Mentioned in this story
John AlbrechtLouis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical CenterSnowmass Village
National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic
LAKE TWP. − John Albrecht doesn't let his disability prevent him from staying super active.
Being legally blind doesn't stop him from gliding down the slopes of Northeast Ohio. Loss of his central vision also posed challenges when he curled for the first time recently. But he still stepped onto the ice and embraced the activity and had fun learning the rules.
And the 79-year-old military veteran and Stark County resident has advice for others with disabilities who may be hesitant to try something new: "If you want to stay upright, you’ve got to stay active."
Albrecht participated in the recent National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic in Snowmass Village, Colorado, for the fourth year. He was representing the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, where he's in the outpatient program at the facility's blind therapy center.
Albrecht took part in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing and curling.
"It was a lot of fun because the instructors explained the game," he said of curling at the Winter Sports Clinic.
Instructors held each of Albrecht's arms while he wore a helmet.
Curling is a team sport played on ice, where two teams take turns sliding a stone made of granite toward a target, according to the World Curling Federation. Based on points, the sport has gained popularity in the Winter Olympics.
"Because I'm disabled, we did not get down on the floor and slide the stone," Albrecht said, noting he was on a four-person team. "We had a stick attached to the stone and guided it ... and we started walking, and they said where to aim.
"Because of my disability ... all I got to do was push the stone down," he said. "We weren't doing any of that sweeping."
Macular degeneration
Albrecht, who lives in Lake Township, served in the U.S. Army from 1966 to 1968 during the Vietnam War.
About eight years ago, he was diagnosed with macular degeneration, an age-related retinal condition, which usually causes loss of central vision but not all vision, according to Cleveland Clinic. There are treatments but no cure.
"I'm fortunate that I have 100% peripheral vision," said Albrecht, who also has hearing loss.
Albrecht, who first skied as a teenager, now skis with the help of instructors at Brandywine Ski Resort at Cuyahoga Valley National Park, where he said he's improved his skills on the slopes.
Q&A
How does John Albrecht stay active despite his disability?
John Albrecht stays active by participating in skiing and curling, despite being legally blind.
What activities did John Albrecht participate in at the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic?
At the clinic, John Albrecht participated in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and curling.
What advice does John Albrecht give to others with disabilities?
John Albrecht advises others with disabilities to stay active and try new activities to maintain their well-being.
Where did John Albrecht represent during the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic?
John Albrecht represented the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center at the clinic.
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Colorado was a step up in terrain, although snowfall had been meager and terrain was limited during the Winter Sports Clinic from April 4 to 11. Guides assisted him at Snowmass.
"I can see the mountain range, but I can't see a particular spot," said Albrecht, who previously worked in aviation and trucking. "But I can see enough to look down the hill. It's really fun."
Stark County resident John Albrecht participates in downhill skiing at the recent National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic in Colorado for disabled veterans.
Stark County resident John Albrecht participates in downhill skiing at the recent National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic in Colorado for disabled veterans.
Gung ho about the Golden Age Games
Albrecht expressed appreciation for ski instructors at the local resort and those at the Winter Sports Clinic.
"Part of my job is to train and determine what events are safe for them to do and appropriate for them to do," Whitecotton said of disabled veterans. "Depending on balance and things like that. But there's a whole visually impaired division."
"John heard about it, and of course, he comes right up to me and says, 'Patty, I heard about this,' and he said, 'I want to go,' and I said, 'OK,'" recalled Whitecotton.
Possible events for Albrecht at the Golden Age Games next year include power walking, cornhole and shuffleboard.
"He's not afraid to try new things," Whitecotton said. "He's all about it."
"That's for anybody with a disability," he said of Challenge Golf. "They don't need to be a veteran, but they have instruction for veterans.
"There's all kinds of opportunities that come to veterans if they investigate and join the VA," Albrecht said. "And if you're a veteran and don't join the VA, you lose out on a lot of stuff."
John Albrecht of Stark County is a disabled veteran who recently participated in the Winter Sports Clinic in Colorado. Albrecht took part in downhill and cross-country skiing, as well as curling.
John Albrecht of Stark County is a disabled veteran who recently participated in the Winter Sports Clinic in Colorado. Albrecht took part in downhill and cross-country skiing, as well as curling.
Overcoming perceived limitations
Also referred to as "Miracles on a Mountainside," the Winter Sports Clinic helps veterans overcome perceived limitations through challenging, therapeutic outdoor activities. Disabilities include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputations, blindness, low vision and other severe medical conditions.
Hundreds of volunteers work with around 400 veterans each year at the clinic, which started in 1987. Activities also include sled hockey, scuba diving and rock wall climbing.
Albrecht also participated in fly fishing and snowmobiling at the clinic in the past.
Benefits include improved physical health, mental well-being and self-esteem.
Albrecht said skiing at the Winter Sports Clinic, which took place in the Aspen area, is not competitive.
"It's just a race against the clock to see if you improve," he said.
John Albrecht, a Stark County resident, is shown at the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic in Colorado prior to this past winter. The clinic is among the ways Albrecht overcomes blindness to stay active and participate in activities like downhill skiing, cross-country skiing and curling.
John Albrecht, a Stark County resident, is shown at the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic in Colorado prior to this past winter. The clinic is among the ways Albrecht overcomes blindness to stay active and participate in activities like downhill skiing, cross-country skiing and curling.
'Get-up-and-go attitude'
Working with Albrecht and other veterans is "beyond rewarding," Whitecotton said.
"He's the type of person who just has that get-up-and-go attitude," she said. "He's going to do it no matter what his barriers may be, and I think people may see that and go, 'Maybe I want to be like him.'
"John is more of a positive influence on people than he knows. People watch other people, and they see him dancing, they see him skiing and they see him smiling."
Reach Ed at ebalint@gannett.com. Follow on Instagram at ed_balint and TikTok @edwardbalint.
