“A Life at Sea and Still Moving Forward: Jim Rush’s Navy Service, Blind Rehab, and 99 Years of Perspective” is the subject of the newest episode of BVA’s monthly podcast Visions of BVA. The program will go live this Sunday, February 1, at 3:00am Eastern Time.

In this powerful and heartfelt episode of Visions of BVA, host Steve Baskis sits with Jim Rush, a 99-year-old U.S. Navy veteran whose life spans World War II, the Korean conflict, and nearly a century of service, work, and resilience. Jim shares his journey from volunteering for the Navy in 1940, serving as an aerial gunner flying seaplanes along the Florida coast, and later being recalled during the Korean War. Jim recently joined BVA as one of its newest members.

Jim also reflects on life at sea, historic moments he witnessed firsthand, and the realities of military service during pivotal moments in world history. Now attending VA residential blind rehabilitation in Biloxi, Mississippi, Jim shares his feelings about vision loss, adapting to change, staying active through daily walking, and maintaining independence late in life. The conversation is a remarkable testament to perseverance, perspective, and the strength of our Nation’s veterans across generations.

Visions of BVA is a deep dive into the inspiring stories of the organization and its members, accounts of resilience, and the achievements of blind and low vision veterans. Each episode features interviews, discussions on life-changing technology, and a glimpse into the BVA community. The episodes are all available via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Listeners and subscribers of Visions of BVA are welcome and encouraged to leave their feedback and share their thoughts with Steve Baskis, sbaskis@bva.org, on any aspect of this podcast or a previous episode.