Susanna Freymark
When Steve Sun set off from Casino in his Sunseeker 4WD in October 2021, his mission was to see as much of Australia before he lost his sight.
Steve had a brain tumour and needed an operation. Doctors told him the op would save his life but it would leave him blind.
He had a year before the op and he was determined to make the most of it with an epic road trip.
Life throws us curveballs but for Steve, the curveball turned out a lot better than he expected.
“I’m grateful for what I’ve got not for what I’ve lost,” Steve said.
On his road trip, several people pushed him to get a second opinion about his brain tumour.
Eventually he caved and sought a second opinion at St Vincents Hospital in Sydney.
The doctors there said the procedure they used could result in 25—50% loss of vision. That was a helluva lot better than losing his sight completely.
There was a waiting list of a year so Steve kept travelling.
He had the operation on July 7 last year, a day before his 57th birthday.
IndyNR.com met Steve at a cafe in Walker Street — and he could see.
He had the tumour removed — it was about the size of two 50 cent pieces.
Only his peripheral vision on the left side has been affected.
He has a badge from Vision Australia that says I have low vision and if he needs to he has a white cane known as an ID cane that is used to alert others to Steve’s low vision.
But he isn’t blind.
And he is visiting Casino for a “trip down memory lane.”
People stop and say hello to Steve outside the cafe. Steve remembers their children that he taught through his driving school or he recalls what they liked to drink from his days working at the pub in Casino.
“I’ve learned that having a disability isn’t a disadvantage, it’s a blessing because you appreciate life with a new perspective,” he said.
While Steve now lives on the central coast, he considers Casino his second home. He grew up in Sydney’s Mount Druitt but lived in Casino for 20 years.
On his trip he met a woman and had a relationship, and while that has ended Steve is still picking up the pieces.
“We are here for a good time, not for a long time,” he said.
As he adjusts to life and what it has to offer, Steve is enjoying his time in Casino catching up with friends, he’s planning a trip to WA and he is making the most of what he has and what he can see.