A Pictou, N.S., woman who lost her eyesight after complications from diabetes will be tying the knot this weekend to her childhood friend who is also visually impaired.
Terri Lynn Lannon met her soon-to-be husband, Craig Aucoin, when they were just children.
Aucoin has retinitis pigmentosa, a condition that causes progressive loss of vision. By age 16, Aucoin was forced to give up playing team sports because his eyesight had deteriorated so much that he had difficulty locating a hockey puck.
"I tell most people it's like (watching) a black and white TV 24/7 with really thick fog," he told CTV Atlantic on Wednesday.
Aucoin, however, hasn't let his blindness stop him from being active. Over the years, he has competed in a number of triathlons and in 2013, Aucoin completed an 85-day, cross-country tandem cycling trip to raise money for the CNIB, the Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind, and the YMCA.
Aucoin has also been a pillar of support for Lannon, who lost her eyesight 10 years ago. He called Lannon, years after having drifted apart, to offer his help.
"He let me know that he knew what I was going through and that he was there for me," Lannon said. "He showed me things through CNIB."
Now, after two years of dating, the couple will be getting married in front of more than 200 guests at the Stella Maris Church on Saturday. Aucoin's guide dog, Baldwin, will be one of three ring bearers.
"Honestly, it feels like we have been married for 20 years and we’re both very happy and excited," Lannon said.
With a report from CTV Atlantic's Dan MacIntosh
