Eusebio's Story: "Helping a Hero"

Meet Eusebio Caal Ichich, a man dedicated to serving his community and saving lives.

At 56 years of age, this dedicated husband and father has worked as a firefighter in Guatemala for more than 16 years. A few years ago, he noticed his vision started to fade. Eusebio had cataracts in each eye - a devastating problem for a firefighter. As he did not have access to proper vision care, he could not find treatment. His supervisors demoted him to lower positions because, they said, he was no longer reliable. They first transferred him to a desk job fielding phone calls. When his eyesight became too impaired for this, they made him a janitor. When his vision deteriorated further, they simply fired him.

His condition affected his life outside of work, too. He would accidentally burn his fingertips on the stove while trying to make food.

“I was used to counting on my good health,” Eusebio remembers. “Now I felt completely defeated. When I ran into my friends, they had to tell me who they were.”

Fortunately, Eusebio heard of one of our partner hospitals, the Vincent Pescatore Eye Clinic. There, thanks in part to the generosity of our donors, he received surgeries on both eyes. After a quick, safe, and inexpensive procedure, he could see, in his words, “as good as new again.”

Once again, he is an active member of his community, contributing as a firefighter. When he is not fighting fires, he can be found working in his garden or building furniture. He also serves as an ambassador for the Vincent Pescatore Eye Clinic, which he recommends to all he meets who have eye problems.