– 2 visually impaired friends share a beloved 8-year friendship
Despite the challenges that come with living without sight, 18-year-old Jarese Jeffrey and 23-year-old Meashon Paul have shared an unbreakable bond for the past eight years.
18-year-old Jarese Jeffrey and 23-year-old Meashon Paul
Just a day before the Valentine’s Day celebrations begin, the two reflected on their journey together, proving that the deepest connections need not be romantic, but can be felt with the heart, not the eyes.
Jarese became visually impaired at the age of 3 years and 9 months, while Meashon was born visually impaired.
Speaking to Jarese, he shared that their friendship has never had a major quarrel, and like the famous saying, “Brothers from another mother”, he and Meashon live by their version,“siblings from another mother”.
“I’ve known her since I was eight years old, back in 2014, so we are basically best friends. But sometimes, we just say that we’re siblings from another mother – like she’s my sister from another mother, and I’m her brother from another mother,” he revealed.
Jeffrey also expressed that Meashon has been by his side through thick and thin, and is like others in his life who have similarly stuck by him as a friend throughout.
“She’s been there for me all throughout. I never cut her off, and there are several other people I’ve known since childhood that I never cut off either. Even my primary school friends still remember me to this day. When they see me on the street, they always call out, ‘Jarese, how are you doing, man? It’s been a long while!’”
Meanwhile, Meashon shared how their 8-year friendship has been nothing but fulfilling.
“The friendship has been good because we never quarrel. Since 2014, we have remained inseparable, and our bond has only grown stronger,” she declared.
She also described how Jeffrey has always been a source of comfort and encouragement for her.
“For me, I’d say it’s been really good. He’s always there to lift me up when I’m down, and he’s a great person to talk to. He’s very supportive.”
Their friendship is something they intend to nurture for a lifetime, as their bond is like family.
“I have no intentions of marrying Meashon or being in a relationship with her, but she will be at my wedding,” Jarese said.
“I would love to continue being in his life and being here for him, as always,” was Meashon’s response.
The friends also spoke about the challenges of growing up visually impaired, and how they supported each other through difficult times.
“I would say that being visually impaired has its challenges at times, but so far, so good. I get support from my family and friends, and I just try to push myself to overcome any obstacles,” Meashon shared.
Jeffrey, on the other hand, said he truly came to terms with his condition at the age of seven.
“It affected me a lot. I lost my sight at two years and nine months, but it didn’t fully register with me until I was seven. I always acted like a normal person, and my family treated me like one too. So I thought, ‘Okay, I just see out of my right eye and not my left.’ I have about 70% vision in my right eye.”
He added, “You have to make a difference out there in the real world. When I was in primary school at St. Gabriel’s, I faced some challenges, but I overcame them with resilience and confidence. I passed all my classes from grade one up to grade six. Then I sat the Common Entrance Exam, got into North Georgetown, and later passed five CSEC subjects.”
Despite the difficulties, he believes that being blind has been a blessing in disguise, in which Meashon Paul has definitely played a pivotal role in being his friend.
“All in all, my journey has been great because I have supportive family members. Although I had challenges in primary school, my friends always supported me and accepted me for who I am. They included me in activities, and even in secondary school, my classmates would check in on me whenever I was absent. They made sure I didn’t miss anything. I’m really grateful for all of them.”
