A Vietnam veteran has made it his mission to make the stars and stripes of the American flag visible to those who cannot see it due to vision disabilities.
“One goal of ours is to put a flag in every blind rehab center in the United States,” said Walter D. Peters, president of the American Braille Flag Project.
The Braille Flag is the Red, White and Blue cast in relief so you can “see” it with your fingertips. Written in the stripes is the Pledge of Allegiance in raised letters.
“A blind American can reach up and touch that flag and it’ll reach out and touch ’em,” Peters said.
It was the idea of Randolph Cabral at the Kansas Braille Transcription Institute in Wichita to create the Braille Flag.
Peters says being able to “see” the flag again is an emotional moment for many blind veterans like himself.
“When they touch that flag they just… They tear up. They find out that this is an America that still loves them,” he explained.
Peters wants to share this amazing experience with the USA’s roughly 130,000 blind and visually disabled veterans.
Flag Day was June 14 and Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, with Peters and other members of the project at her side, dedicated a new Braille Flag at the Veteran Affairs hospital in Topeka.
“Bless her heart, she’s helped, given us a boost. And we’re so honored to be able to be a part of this,” Peters exclaimed.
The American Braille Flag Project is a non-profit organization. They have given around 100 Braille Flags to hospitals and cemeteries around the country, all completely paid for by donations.
