Ed’s note: We received a substantial number of emails about blind painter Ricky Trione after publishing yesterday’s feature—messages from readers who were inspired by Ricky’s boundless ability, and quite a few from readers who were wholly intrigued by the concept of a fiercely talented blind painter…and wanted to know more.
About Ricky Trione:
Ricky’s vision left him one eye at a time. His left eye was permanently damaged in an accident while on active duty as Captain in the Army in 1993. A logging truck slung an object through the open window of his vehicle, destroying his retina. The second accident happened years later in 2000 when Ricky’s vehicle overheated along Highway 59 in North Baldwin County, Alabama. Ricky pulled to the side of the road to check the engine of the vehicle just as an 18-wheeler drove by and threw a large section of tire tread from the truck. The debris hit him across his right eye and knocked him unconscious, causing permanent blindness.
