“I appreciate having a real job to go to every day. I like being productive every single day and contributing to society.”
- Gabby
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Gabrielle, affectionately known as Gabby to her friends and family, has exemplified tenacity and strength in her life challenges and endeavors.
She has been described by her loved ones as nothing less than an outgoing firecracker. Raised in Michigan, Gabby excelled in academics and participated in sports, peer mentoring groups for teens and youth, and she was a writer for her high school newspaper. Gabby had plans for her future.
After graduating high school in 2002, Gabby pursued her education in the medical field where she went on to become a medical assistant. She continued her career goals in the medical field and care giving, where she maintained work in adult foster care homes and nursing homes.
In 2005, Gabby was blessed with the joy of becoming a mother. This gave her the extra push to continue her education by going back to school to become a registered nurse.
Tragically, a year later at the age of 22, she was viciously attacked as she walked home from work one late night in August. A strange man with ill intent, snuck up on Gabby as she was walking and doused her face with alkaline battery acid which immediately took her sight and left her burned and disfigured forever.
The next few months left Gabby with an intense spiritual, physical and emotional recovery. She was hospitalized for over three and a half months, but miraculously once she came around, was empowered and full of life to continue for herself and her daughter.
In June 2007, Gabby started training at the Visually Handicapped Services For The Blind at a hospital in Detroit, Michigan. While attending the school for the blind, she quickly learned braille, how to use screen readers on computers, mobility and life skills, which in turn helped set Gabby reshape and reconstruct her life, while taking back her independence.
As Gabby continued moving forward, she realized her purpose to become a motivational and inspirational speaker. Now, Gabby speaks wherever she is asked to share her testimony and story. She has spoken at several women and children’s shelters, blind and burn support groups, churches, high schools, adult educational schools – wherever she feels led to be a light of inspiration to others.
In 2009, Gabby became a mother to her second daughter. With the new addition to her family, she felt motivated once again to go back to school and continue furthering her education.
Gabby started at Henry Ford Community College in 2011, where she received her minor in psychology. Gabby endured constant discouragement by some instructors because they did not believe that she would be able to successfully succeed in her classes as a blind student. But Gabby used their lack of knowledge and doubts as her fuel to succeed. As a result, she excelled in all her classes with A’s and B’s.
Today, she is an employee at Envision Dallas. She makes a difference in our community by manufacturing vinyl products that honor men and women of the United States Military.
“When I first arrived here at Envision Dallas, I could sense the family atmosphere,” said Gabby. “There is a close-knit family in the manufacturing departments.”
Learning the job took her some time. People told her, “I can do it, so you can do it, too, Gabby. We can do it together.”
“I love my supervisor, Margie Harris, and I love my co-workers. I appreciate having a real job to go to every day. I like being productive every single day and contributing to society.”
To this day, Gabrielle is full of life and setting goals for herself. She enjoys teaching and using Braille, attending winter and summer camps for the blind, traveling with her friends and family. She is also an inspiring author/writer and plans to continue her education and career goals.
