In early September, just weeks after returning to Colorado Springs, Colorado, from competing in his second Paralympic Games in Paris, paratriathlete Kyle Coon was contacted by Megan Webber, Co-Founder of Know the Glow (KTG), and Helene Dameris, KTG’s Director of Global Outreach. Inspired by his achievements, they saw him as a role model for their audience.
Kyle Coon’s story of resilience and overcoming obstacles began long before this summer’s Paralympic Games. In 1992, when Kyle was only ten months old, his parents noticed something unusual with his eyes—specifically, a slight glow in photographs and a crossing of the eyes.
Concerned, Kyle’s parents consulted a pediatrician who referred them to a specialist at the University of Chicago. After a Friday exam, doctors diagnosed Kyle with Bilateral Sporadic Retinoblastoma and scheduled the removal of both eyes within four days. Overwhelmed, his parents requested time to think and, after sharing the news with loved ones, were quickly directed to renowned retinoblastoma specialists Jerry and Carol Shields in Philadelphia. By Monday, they were on their way to see the Shields.
Dr. Carol Shields recommended a path forward that would not require immediate bilateral enucleation but would involve an aggressive treatment plan to combat the retinoblastoma. For the next six years, Kyle endured various treatments, traveling between Jacksonville, FL, where his family had relocated, and Philadelphia. Ultimately, after exhausting all options and facing aggressive cancer, Kyle had his left eye removed in 1997, followed by his right eye in 1998.
As a child, Kyle yearned for health so he could play outside with his friends. However, after completely losing his sight, though he now had health, he found it challenging to navigate his new world, leading to feelings of depression.
Kyle’s trajectory shifted significantly upon meeting Erik Weihenmayer. After encountering Erik’s father, Ed, at a Rotary Club meeting, Kyle’s father encouraged him to attend Erik’s speech in Jacksonville. Inspired by Erik’s incredible feats—skydiving, rock climbing, marathon running, and skiing—Kyle felt a spark of hope. Erik became a mentor, showing Kyle that blindness shouldn’t limit his potential and encouraged him to try rock climbing, which quickly became Kyle’s passion.
In 2003, after Erik became the first blind person to climb the Seven Summits, Kyle surprised him on The Oprah Winfrey Show as someone Erik had inspired. The following year, Erik launched a program pairing blind and sighted climbers. Kyle joined a trip to Peru, solidifying his love for adventure, and he went on to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and other peaks like Mount Saint Helens and Mount Hood with the group.
After excelling in high school and graduating college in three years, Kyle struggled to find a job, which led to issues with alcohol, weight gain, and debt. A turning point came when he was rejected for a grocery bagger position. Determined to improve his situation, Kyle decided that if nothing else, he had to get his body back in shape, and he googled “how does a blind guy go for a run?,” leading him to a website pairing blind and sighted runners. He was matched with Mike, a triathlete who would eventually encourage Kyle to pursue triathlons as well.
Although Kyle initially disliked running, it became a healthy outlet that kept him away from negative habits, and he grew to appreciate the physical and mental benefits. With Mike’s guidance, Kyle trained consistently, incorporating swimming, biking, and running into his routine.
In 2016, following the unexpected passing of his first guide dog, Kyle relocated to Colorado, where he continued to train and achieve faster times, earning his first sponsorship from Bubba Burger. In 2018, he set a goal to complete an Ironman Triathlon in under 11 hours—an unprecedented feat for a blind triathlete. That same year, after completing the Boston Marathon and Race Across America (and breaking his elbow during Race Across America!), Kyle achieved his goal at Ironman Arizona clocking in at 10 hours, 57 minutes, and 17 seconds!
At the end of 2019, Kyle was accepted into the Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. He trained diligently and qualified for the Tokyo Paralympic Games, finishing fifth in the triathlon. Although he was disappointed as he had been a medal contender, he refocused, continued training, and qualified for the most recent Paralympic Games in Paris, where he placed eighth.
Beyond athletics, Kyle authored a book titled Discovering a Life Without Limits: How Cancer Took My Sight, Blindness Gave Me Vision, and the Mountains Let Me Live, chronicling his journey up to 2014. He also engages in motivational speaking, focusing on conversational excellence and emphasizing that “if we can change our words, we can indeed change the world by knowing exactly what to say, when to say it, and how to make it count.” Kyle plans to write a second book in the coming years.
KnowTheGlow looks forward to watching this extraordinarily talented man and to see what the world has in store for Kyle and especially what Kyle has in store for the world!
