John and Erin Grimes

John and Erin Grimes’ Story

One day during sophomore year of college, John began to feel symptoms similar to a sinus infection, though his symptoms rapidly became more severe and a friend found him unconscious and unresponsive. John was rushed to the hospital, where he was officially diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis. He spent a total of 21 days in the hospital, seven of which he was in a coma. John lost most of his vision and is now legally blind. He also had to work hard to re-learn basic skills, including smiling, swallowing and sitting.

Today, John and his wife Erin have three children, and he dedicates much of his free time to his podcast, “Ambiguously Blind,” where he discusses a range of topics including his life and lifestyle post meningitis.


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