Blind Metro Man Makes Home Goods Despite Health Challenges

The Oklahoma City Rescue Mission's permanent supportive housing officials said their program has helped a Del City man facing health challenges to make an impact on the metro.

Case workers said 35-year-old Marrin Johnson grew up with kidney failure as a teenager and had multiple surgeries and dialysis. Because of the dialysis he had blood clots and poor circulation in his body and lost sight in both eyes.

Recently, Johnson had a kidney transplant. A couple months after his surgery, he was back at work 40 hours a week at New View Oklahoma, an organization that helps blind or visually impaired people find work.

Johnson makes soap and hand sanitizer dispensers, cutout bathroom mats and shower curtains, among other things.

Case workers said Johnson is a great role model for the community and for others in permanent supportive housing. According to the City of Oklahoma City's website, permanent supportive housing helps citizens with lifelong disabilities. As a community, officials said the number of permanent housing units have doubled in the last five years.