Baltimore woman who lost her sight trains to run the New York City Marathon

A 66-year-old Baltimore woman is preparing to take on the world's largest marathon even though she can no longer see the road ahead.

King was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a rare inherited disease that causes progressive vision loss. It began with trouble adjusting to dim light, then slowly narrowed her field of vision until, in 2024, she was declared legally blind.

But for Jackie King, seeing clearly has nothing to do with sight.  

"I'm gradually losing my sight," King said. "At first, I didn't understand what was happening. The movie theater would seem darker, and my eyes wouldn't adjust."

Dr. Stephen Pappas of the LifeBridge Health Krieger Eye Institute said there's no cure for the disease, which damages the light-sensitive cells of the retina. 

"Over time, the vision cells deteriorate and central vision can be affected," Pappas said.

Instead of giving up, King found a new purpose. She started running.

"I saw other runners and said, 'I want to run a marathon,' even though I'd never run more than a mile," she said.

King's first race turned into a lifelong passion. But as her vision declined, she started missing obstacles, once tripping and falling during a half-marathon. That's when she realized she needed help to keep running safely.

Catching another wind

King connected with Achilles International, a group that pairs athletes with disabilities with volunteer running guides.

On Saturday mornings, she meets her guides, like Emmeline Leggett, and dozens of others at Patterson Park. Each runner and guide wears a bright yellow shirt, a symbol that no one runs alone.

Samantha Cinnick, the program director of Achilles Internationals, said that the mission of inclusion is what drives the organization.

"I really loved Achilles' mission and I wanted to be involved with making sure that anybody in the community could come and feel like they could get involved in sports," Cinnick said.

"I've been with Achilles since the start of the Baltimore chapter," Leggett said. "It's about creating community and trust."

With her guide by her side, King has regained her confidence. She's spent 20 weeks training for the New York City Marathon after winning the lottery to run, she is set to run alongside other Achilles athletes from around the world.

Her daughter, Demerise, often cheers from the sidelines. "It's awesome to see her run so well after everything she's been through," she said. "I'm so proud of her."

For King, the race is about more than miles. It's about perspective.

"I don't want to be seen as a disabled athlete," King said. "I'm an athlete with a disability. It's a choice to keep going."

When King crosses the finish line in New York, she may not see it clearly, but she'll know she's already won.

King will compete in this Sunday's New York City Marathon with Achilles International by her side.

What is Retinitis Pigmentosa?

Retinitis Pigmentosa is a group of rare eye diseases that affect the retina (the light-sensitive layer of tissue in the back of the eye). RP makes cells in the retina break down slowly over time, causing vision loss, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

According to the NIH the most common symptom is a loss of night vision that usually starts in childhood.