Taking my baby for a walk as a blind Dad

We’d love to introduce you to Martin Ralfe. He’s a father, a husband, a technologist, and he’s been blind since birth.

Martin is a father to two brilliant children, one of which has inherited some of his eye conditions. He also has a German Shepherd Guide Dog called Diesel who is nine, and they’ve been a partnership since August 2017.

He’s a solution seeker. Martin loves technology and wants it to continue to empower people with sight loss. He strives to be a part of it and help ensure technology and digital services are accessible.

Through his content, Martin hopes to provide insights into living with visual impairments, and share snippets of his life that may help you to navigate sight loss.

In this video, he heads out for a walk with his baby and his guide dog Diesel, offering insights into life as a blind father.

Video Description

Preparation

The video starts with Martin preparing for a walk with his baby, Leo. He gets his guide dog ready before getting Leo secured in a baby carrier, making sure everything is set before they head out.

The walk

Martin, along with Diesel, takes us through their walk around town. The footage includes Diesel navigating stairs and guiding through various urban environments, including a tunnel. The video highlights Diesel’s training and skill, especially as he assists Martin in avoiding obstacles and safely crossing streets. During their walk, Martin and Leo stop to watch a stream.

The video showcases how Diesel helps manage different types of public structures like barriers and lifts, demonstrating the daily realities and challenges faced by visually impaired individuals.

Home, safe and sound

The walk concludes with their return home on the train. The confidence and safety Diesel provides allows him to focus on being present and enjoying time with Leo.

Find out more

To find out more about Martin and to discover more of his content, you can visit his TikTok page.