By Rebekah Marin
Liberal Arts/English Major

On the Thursday evening of February 19, Randy Pierce came to SMCC to give a motivational speech about overcoming adversity. Pierce has hiked all 48 of the 4,000 foot mountains of New Hampshire in one season, he competes in road races, was inducted into the Football Hall of Fame as a Patriots fan, and is an expert in martial arts. Shortly after he graduated from the University of New Hampshire at the age of 22, Pierce was diagnosed with a neurological disease that caused him to become legally blind only two short weeks after the diagnosis.
He acknowledges that he may have lost his sight, but he still has a vision. For Pierce, hiking is about the journey. He told a story about reaching the top of a mountain at sunset and listening to the friends around him describe a magnificent view: the beautiful, vibrant shades of orange and purple illuminating the surrounding mountains in shades of blue, as the bright orange sun sank on the horizon. Afterward he asked any person in the audience to raise their hand if they couldn’t picture the scene he had just described. He then joked by saying that he’s yet to see a hand up to this day when he asked that question.
And then it clicked. Being able to physically see the world around us isn’t the where sight has to stop. Pierce brings to light the importance of setting goals, having a vision, and not letting things get in the way of achieving those goals. I admire Pierce’s perseverance; if I was dealt the hand in life he’s been dealt, I’m not sure I’d have been strong enough to turn my life back around into something so phenomenal.
Pierce chose to take the high road, or in his case, the highest hiking trail, and live life to the fullest with the gifts he still has. Pierce adapted to hiking and doing other physical activities with the help of a guide dog, and the support from his family and friends. He talked about looking at things from a different perspective, and thinking critically about situations to open up all possible outcomes. His wisdom spoke volumes. There have been so many times in my life where I’ve been unhappy and instead of doing something about it, I become caught up taking pity on myself. Pierce refused to settle with his circumstances, and going forward in my life I will carry his story with me as a reminder that there is always a way around obstacles that seem to stand in the way.
To learn more about Randy Pierce’s life, his hiking adventures, or his upcoming events, check out his website at
http://www.2020visionquest.org.