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Young Man Going Blind Can't Afford Sight Saving Surgery, So Employers Pay Every Penny

By Kayla Kunkel November 3, 2018 at 3:28pm

Amir Adan was going blind and he was going blind quickly.

When he heard about a newly approved surgery that could help stop the loss of his eyesight, he knew that it was something he needed. There was only one problem: His health insurance didn’t cover the expensive surgery.

But as soon as his company heard about his need, they stepped in to help.

The 19-year-old Minnesota-native had been diagnosed with a progressive eye condition called keratoconus when he was in high school.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the condition happens when the cornea of the eye thins and bulges from a dome shape to a cone shape, which blurs the person’s vision and can cause sensitivity to light.

As the condition advances, a cornea transplant may be needed.

Since his diagnosis, Adan’s vision impairment had been progressing and he knew that transplants would be in his future.

So when Adan heard about this new preventative surgery called corneal cross-linking that had proven to stop the progression of the condition, he knew that he needed to figure out how to get this surgery.

Would your company do this for an employee?

Unfortunately, the surgery has to be done before there is too much damage or scarring on the cornea.

Adan’s right eye had passed that point, but there was still hope for his left eye.

The only other hurdle that Adan needed to jump over was the price of the costly surgery. Since the surgery was only newly approved, Adan’s health insurance did not cover it.

Soon after talking to a co-worker about his dilemma, however, he received the sweetest surprise — his company was going to cover the cost.

Adan had worked at Bobby & Steve’s Auto World for two years. Within that time, his co-workers grew to feel more like family and this sweet act of kindness proves just how true that is.

Adan was talking to a co-worker about his eye condition and the hope that corneal cross-linking could help him. After he had left the shop, Adan received a call asking him to come back to the work.

When he arrived Bobby Williams, one of the co-founders of the company, told him, “We gotta get you this help.”

Adan was stunned.

Operation Leader Jane DeRusha told Eden Praire News, “Bobby is kind of that kind of guy. If he hears somebody needs something, he wants to help everybody out. If you work for him, you’re kind of like family. Amir’s like family.”

Adan quickly received a check for $3,400 to cover the costs of the surgery.

The surgery took place on Oct. 24, 2018, and it went “flawlessly.” He is now recovering.

“If this wouldn’t have gotten done, I wouldn’t know what I would have done, to be totally honest. It would have made my life harder. I wouldn’t have been able to follow my passions or stuff that I enjoy in life,” Adan said.

“I’m just really, really thankful. That’s really the most I can say … because after I’m all recovered, I can get back to what I love doing.”

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