Social media handles:
Instagram: @dkringlie_
Where are you from?
North Dakota
Where do you live now?
North Carolina
Tell us a little about yourself:
Hi! My name is Danielle. I am a military spouse of 7 years. I have lived in four states including North Dakota, Arizona, Utah, and North Carolina. I am passionate about fitness, yoga, running, and overall well-being. I have been a vegetarian since I was in the 7th grade. In 2020, I decided to take the leap to a vegan diet and have never looked back. I hold a massage therapy license and am currently in college to become a Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA).
What’s your eye story?
When I was a baby, my grandmother noticed that one of my eyes looked different. My family started to realize that when I had flash photos taken of me, one of my pupils would reflect completely white. I was diagnosed with a form of cancer called Retinoblastoma. If left untreated, it can spread through the body and to the brain. My entire left eye had to be enucleated to save my life.
What has been the hardest thing mentally?
When I was younger, I had a dream to become a model. I went through modeling school and took a few paid jobs, but I never felt ‘normal’, and always struggled with confidence. I was bullied a lot growing up, and some of the names and labels that were given to me took root deep in my mind. They still occasionally come back to the surface.
What has been the hardest thing physically?
Sometimes someone will try to give me a high-five on my blind side, and it’s embarrassing if I don’t see it and they call me out. When I am driving, I need to turn my head all the way around to make sure no one is in the lane beside me. I’ve run into a few walls too (Ha! Whoops). Not being able to see one side is a challenge in many ways, but I think I have an advantage. Because I lost my eye so young, this is how I’ve always known it to be, and have grown up adapting to it.
Where are you now in your recovery?
I think it will be a lifelong process of mental and emotional healing, but there are good days and bad days.
What advice would you give to someone going through their eye impairment journey?
Don’t be afraid to tell people. For my entire life, I tried to hide it and act like it wasn’t a part of who I am. It is so freeing to openly tell those around you who you really are. Embrace it. Know that you are beautiful just the way you are.
Who is your eye surgeon and ocularist?
I don’t currently have an ocularist (looking for a new one) and I don’t know who my surgeon was. I was a baby. I’ve never asked!
How did you find EYEHESIVE?
Instagram!
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