The World at My Fingertips

Steve Welker
OPA (2006)
ISBN 0911041656
Reviewed by Audrey Hauser for Reader Views (9/06)

Steve Welker prepares us for his story by introducing us to his life before his life-changing accident. I loved the way he based his story on faith and the way he incorporated Psalm 23 into the distinctive parts of the book.

While he confesses that he was not overly religious prior to his marriage, he was not a non-believer. He was a man of 34 years when he and Kristi met. Rather set in his life and fairly satisfied that he would never meet the right one, everything changed when he and Kristi met. The biggest challenge they met was Kristi not being able to have a child. Through the love and understanding of family and close friends they were able to find a surrogate with an understanding husband and an egg donor (Kristi’s sister) whose husband was also supportive. When the pregnancy became a real thing, everything would be perfect for Steve and Kristi…or would it?

Seven months into the pregnancy they were on their way to the airport to fly to California for the birth of the babies. Yes, it turned out there were twins. A terrible accident changed things for all time. No one thought Steve would survive his head injuries and Kristi was seriously injured too. During the time they were hospitalized, the twins were born. Because of the severity of Steve’s injuries he was not aware of this event they had so looked forward to. Then came the news that his eyesight could not be restored, followed by many operations to put his face back together. Kristi struggled with her own head injury, as well as two broken clavicles and a severely shattered foot. The family’s great love was evident as they pitched in to be there for the couple. It took a lot of love from a lot of people to help Steve and Kristi get through those early months after the accident.

When it came time for Steve’s release from the hospital, he wasn’t prepared for what was ahead. Had it not been for the strong love in his marriage and that of his friends and family, he might have succumbed to the depression that constantly overcame him. But the, ability to face up to what had been dealt to him and take measures to go on proved successful. Moreover, the help received from the Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, ACBVI, gave Steve the tools to function as a blind man and, in time, became a major part of his life as he became the spokesman and President of the Board. Given the opportunity to tell their story in several appearances on the Leeza Gibbons Show also let them connect with people who would someday impact their lives. It was inspiring from a sighted person’s point of view to see Steve meet the challenges of getting back to the things he had once loved, especially skiing. The connections made with members of several Phoenix professional sports teams also did a lot to raise money for programs at ACBVI and help with public awareness.

It is a testimony to Steve Welker that he faced each new challenge and made it through. A bout of Bell’s Palsy was a set back, but he conquered this as he had the blindness. When the family had to move out of their home for many moths due to a toxic mold problem, he drew on his experience as an insurance man to deal with this. During these years, he continued to do public speaking and went back to work in the insurance industry, even building his own business.

In “The World at My Fingertips,” I liked the way Steve acknowledged his bouts of depression and did not try to hide from the readers that this had been a real part of his grieving after the accident. Tears are something most men don’t want to show and Steve was no exception, but often they would come and he could not control it. He simply let the quiet settle around him until the mood passed. This is a lesson to all of us in times when we feel down. The love that shows throughout this book is uplifting for it gives the reader hope that should we find ourselves in a similar position that all is not lost. His strength of faith was something he came to rely upon and he could not even say for sure when that came upon him. But he knew that God had lifted his burdens more than one time and has passed that on to us, the readers.

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