There’s no denying Bart Butler is computer proficient. He surfs the web with ease, speedily switches screens and knows Microsoft Office better than most people who still have their eyesight.
Butler lost his sight in 2005, from diabetes. But, with a résumé that includes positions such as captain for the Plant City Fire Department, a stint at Coca-Cola National and owning his own landscaping business, the Plant City resident knows he has much to contribute to any company willing to take a chance.
Sitting in his home office, Butler looks at the computer screen.
“I have no idea what is on the there right now,” Butler says.
But, with a few quick pecks on the keyboard, he opens up Jaws, a computer program that adapts popular programs and applications for use by the blind. He has had to memorize hundreds of shortcut combinations to operate the program.
Click. Click. Click.
Butler’s email client pops up onto the screen. A robotic voice begins to read what’s in his inbox.
Smart balance. Unread.
Coupons.com. Unread.
First flight with Teddy. Unread.
The voice is speaking quickly. But Butler said he usually has it on a faster setting. Headphones are nearby, so the voice doesn’t bother anyone else working in the office.
There’s a mousepad with a black lab next to the computer, but no mouse. Butler works only with keystrokes to navigate. The dog on the pad isn’t the only pup around. Butler’s guide dog, Teddy, sits obediently under the desk beside him. Teddy doesn’t make a sound.
Since diabetes took his sight, Butler has had to conquer many obstacles to be able to regain his independence. Currently, Butler stays home, while his wife, Jana, works at South Florida Baptist Hospital. Like other stay-at-home spouses, he cleans the house and manages the family finances. But, after mastering Jaws, he has grown tired of staying home.
“I’ve gone through all of this to live a regular life and not have to depend on people,” Butler says. “I just want to get back to work. I want to be productive.”
PLUNGED INTO DARKNESS
Butler was diagnosed with diabetes at just 28 years old. For 19 years, he battled with the effects of his disease. He didn’t let it stop him from leading an active lifestyle.
Armed with a business degree from the the University of South Florida, he went into sales for Florida Coca-Cola. After a stint at Coca-Cola National, in New York, he returned to Florida, where he started his own landscaping company. He simultaneously managed at Buddy Freddy’s restaurant. It was then that he found his true calling.
A friend introduced him to firefighting. He was hooked instantly. At 43, he started a 13-week fire standards class, obtaining a degree in fire science and becoming an emergency medical technician. He was hired in October 2001, by the Plant City Fire Department as a driver/engineer and acting captain.
Then, his sight started to fade.
One eye went first. The other wasn’t far behind.
While in the ER during one of his shifts, he started to feel sick. An intense pressure built up in his head.
Pop.
The retina detached.
Instant darkness.
“Diabetes affects so many parts of your body,” Butler said. “You really don’t realize it. It’s hard, because I was very active my whole life.”
About 18 months after losing his sight, Butler went into kidney failure. He sat through monotonous dialysis treatments three days a week. It was late at night on Memorial Day 2009, when Butler got the call for a kidney and pancreas transplant.
His health began to improved after the transplant, and blood sugar stabilized.
“You know I’m feeling great,” Butler says. “I don’t have to take anymore medication — except what I take for the transplant.”
RENEWED VISION
In 2011, Butler started the application for a guide dog with Palmetto-based Southeastern Guide Dogs.
That July, he traveled to the organization to undergo a month-long training session with Teddy. Sitting in his room, Butler remembers hearing the door open and Teddy barging in with shear elation.
Butler was just as ecstatic.
“That was just an amazing day,” Butler remembers.
Teddy wasn’t the only thing that changed his life during the training session. Butler met a 19-year-old man from Palatka. The teenager had hit a tree while driving drunk through the woods. With no seat belt to restrain him, he smacked his head on the steering wheel. He lost his eyesight instantly.
But, the young man could use a computer with ease and he knew Braille after only being blind for 18 months.
“It was just really inspiring to me,” Butler says. “It had been really hard for me. It’s a sad story. I really hit rock bottom.”
Butler decided to pick himself up by following in the young man’s footsteps. In November, he attended the Florida State Rehabilitation Center for the Blind, in Daytona Beach, to undergo computer software training.
When he got there, he couldn’t even type.
When he left, he could only type 17 words per minute.
Now, he’s up to 50 words per minute, with 95% accuracy.
“Cut, paste, insert different fonts, bold color, I can do anything that a sighted person can do,” Butler says while working in Microsoft Word. “I’ve been working on it for a while.”
Butler is working with the Florida Division of Blind Services to find employment. He prefers work in the Plant City area, and he is best suited for office work. Blind Services will pay for Jaws to be programed with any business software Butler would need for a specific position.
Butler also can work with occasional monetary transactions by using an iPhone app called Money Reader.
“I have a lot of access to tools,” Butler says. “I’m really, really wanting to get back to work. Ready to get out of the house. I want to get off disability.”
Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.
Bart B. Butler
Home: (813) 752-7042
Cell: (813) 763-6385
Email: bartjana@tampabay.rr.com
OBJECTIVE:
Seeking a challenging position with a growing and progressive company to utilize my experience, education and skills.