Jim Ryun: “today I rise to share a story about a friend of mine who has overcome great adversity. His name is Eddie Timanus. Eddie…”

“today I rise to share a story about a friend of mine who has overcome great adversity. His name is Eddie Timanus. Eddie has been completely blind since he was a toddler, but he has chosen not to let this disability stop him from realizing his goals. Eddie has dreamed of being a contestant on the TV game show Jeopardy. After years of trying to make the cut, he was selected in 1998. The producers of Jeopardy agreed to make accommodations for him, namely, giving Eddie a list of the categories in Braille. Eddie went on to win five, count that, five episodes of Jeopardy, and nearly $70,000. I know how much tenacity it has taken to accomplish these kinds of dreams in spite of the hardships. Eddie deserves our admiration, not just because he is a Jeopardy grand champion, but because he is a testament to the principle that enduring trials produces endurance, which helps people bring the best out of themselves. I want to thank Eddie for showing us what people who are visually impaired can do, and actually each one of us can do, when given the opportunity.”