Rutland senior rises above vision challenges

Hunter Logue’s vision may be impaired, but he’s tried to live as normal a life as possible.

The Rutland High School senior has cone-rod dystrophy, a rare eye disorder that affects the cone cells of the retina. He’s been legally blind since birth.

“I’ve never really let it hold me back,” he said.

Due to his disability, Logue could have used large-print books and had other accommodations in school, but he chose not to use most of them. While he sometimes asked teachers to repeat material written on the board or during a presentation, that was the extent of the extra help Logue generally requested.

“He doesn’t take those because he feels like, No. 1, he wants to be like everyone else,” said his mother, Vickie Logue. “He feels like he doesn’t need those.”

Besides that, Hunter Logue said the special materials often required going to another room or taking extra time on tests and other activities.

“It was just always easier on me to use regular print,” he said.

His interests outside of school also reflect that he’s not being limited by his low vision. He said he’s always liked to read in his spare time, and he goes to movies with his friends.

Logue said he has to sit closer to the screen and may need a friend to help point out details he might not catch otherwise, but it’s still an enjoyable experience.

“Movies are a little bit different because it’s such a big screen,” he said.

In the fall, he plans to go to Georgia State University and major in political science, with a focus on international affairs. His mother said she’s a little worried about Logue going to study in a big city like Atlanta, but she also knows he won’t let himself fall between the cracks.

“He always tells me, ‘I’m not going to be defined by my disability. I will be defined by my unlimited possibilities,’ ” Vickie Logue said.

One day, Hunter Logue hopes to be a foreign service officer in a United States embassy, perhaps in a country such as Iraq. He said he wants to get into “misunderstood” countries to form his own opinion while also helping people.

While he may not be able to work as a firefighter or serve in the military, Logue thinks embassy work might be right up his alley.

“I’ve always wanted to do something that makes a difference,” he said.

This story was originally published May 20, 2016 at 2:41 PM with the headline "Rutland senior rises above vision challenges."