A former addict who consumed up to four litres of vodka a day says losing his sight to a rare condition ultimately saved his life, transforming him into a medal-winning Great Britain athlete.
From Addiction to Athletic Achievement
Ray Clements, 53 from Liverpool, hit rock bottom in a cycle of alcohol and drug abuse. At the peak of his addiction, he was drinking two to four litres of vodka daily and using cocaine simply to enable him to keep consuming alcohol. His life revolved around substance abuse, with little hope in sight.
Everything changed on the morning of his 49th birthday when he woke with severely impaired vision. Initially dismissing it, he was persuaded by his older brother – who had been diagnosed with Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) – to seek medical help. LHON is a rare genetic condition that causes sudden vision loss.
After initial checks at Specsavers and Aintree Eye Hospital, Ray insisted on being tested for LHON due to his family history. While awaiting the results, a pivotal conversation occurred. A friend, with whom he shared a long "drinking career," visited and revealed he was now in recovery and attending support meetings.
The Path to Sobriety and a Shocking Diagnosis
Inspired, Ray contacted his friend weeks later and was taken to his first meeting. He stopped drinking and managed 62 days of sobriety. It was then that doctors delivered the devastating formal diagnosis: he had LHON and was registered blind.
"I phoned a few people and said I was OK, and then I went away and drank. And I had no choice. I didn't understand it," Ray recalled of receiving the news. This relapse, however, was short-lived. The true turning point came when he woke up beside a glass of vodka and knew he had to change permanently.
At his next meeting, he confessed his relapse and found a sponsor. "He said: 'Oh, we can work with that'. And he removed every excuse with that one sentence," Ray explained. From that day, 17 February 2022, he has remained completely clean and sober.
A New Life with Purpose and a Guide Dog
Ray has since channelled his energy into a remarkable new chapter. He has become a champion blind baseball player for Great Britain, winning multiple medals and making history as the only Englishman to hit a home run in the sport. "Losing my sight has saved my life. I see more clearly now than I ever have without sight," he stated.
His life now centres on positive pursuits. He has supported 15 other people through their sobriety journeys, which in turn helps him stay on track. He is also launching a sight loss charity called Finding the Solution, aiming to introduce goalball – a sport for visually impaired players – into mainstream schools.
Navigating life as a registered blind person presents daily challenges; he can distinguish shapes in daylight but sees only lights in the dark. His constant companion is his guide dog, Garson, a Labradoodle, who provides crucial emotional and practical support.
"There's days when I wake up and I don't want to do anything... And then Garson will walk in, and put his nose on the bed next to me... and I have to get up," Ray confessed. "Without you, I wouldn't be here," he tells Garson during walks.
As he approaches four years of sobriety, Ray looks to the future with determination, stating he would "give my left arm to be clean and sober for five years." His story is a powerful testament to resilience and transformation, proving that from profound loss can come extraordinary gain.
