Blind, low vision individuals learn to skateboard at Riverside inclusive skate park

RIVERSIDE, Mo. — KSHB 41 News reporter Braden Bates covers parts of Jackson County, Missouri, including Lee's Summit. Send Braden a story idea by e-mail.

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A new addition to a Riverside skate park helped blind and visually impaired skateboarders feel their way through the course at an event called Grind for the Blind.

The tactile map allows skateboarders to physically explore the layout before stepping onto it.

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For Luca Messina, who was born with visual impairments, the feature does more than help him get around. He calls the way he visualizes through feel his superpower.

"You're like, oh no, I don't know where to go. I need to, and then you just go walk over here and then you see where it is and then you go to the real park," Luca said.

Luca skateboarded with his aunt and dad as they guided him around the accessible skate park in Riverside, Missouri.

Blair Messina, Luca's mom was instrumental in advocating for the inclusive park. She said the City of Riverside was very accommodating and excited to participate in the park, which was full Saturday.

She said her son loves the sport and everything that comes with it. Especially that he gets to do it with his older sister.

"He just loves trying new things and being outside and meeting new friends," Blair said.

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Luca was born with low vision.

"We took him to the ophthalmologist due to a downward gaze," Blair said. "We did genetic testing, and he carries the gene mutation for Leber's Congenital Amaurosis."

She said his eyesight is very limited.

"He can tell you if the lights are on or off, but that's about it."

Despite those limitations, Blair said the diagnosis has not held Luca back and the sport brought their family into a community she is grateful to be part of.

"The community in Kansas City with blind and visually impaired families and adults is really, really large," Blair said.

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The enthusiasm among participants was clear. Elisia, one of the event's skaters, was ready to start taking on the ramps.

"I want to do that thing with the ramp like I did on my own." Elisia said.

Blair said the culture of skateboarding plays a big role in that sense of belonging.

"Skateboarding is a very inclusive environment anyways. It welcomes in every type of person. You know, no matter who you are, how old you are, your skill level," Blair said.

Professional skateboarder Justin Bishop also showed what is possible at the event.

"I've been skating 10 years with sight, 15 without sight," Justin Bishop said. "Once I was able to get skate back in my life. it just gave me my life back."

He said he when he started to lose his vision he was feeling isolated and alone. Not having the technology there is today, he was tasked to navigate the world differently.

"I had to learn everything all over how to cook, how to clean, how to travel, but getting those skills back was just what everybody else does. But skateboarding was the one thing I did that made me feel special." said Bishop.

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He even used a tool to help him nail the tricks he was known for. The tool was a beeper box that he set up at the skate park.

"My cane lets me know what's going on, but only about like 3 ft in front of me. So when you're skating, you gotta know what, like what's like 12 ft in front of you, you know, 20 yards. And so I use a little beeper box, kind of lets me know I'm going in the right direction," Bishop said.

Bishop said the sport doesn't come without a little pain. The falls that come with skateboarding are part of what he said makes the sport meaningful for blind and visually impaired athletes.

"At a skate park, if you fall. You're just another skater that fell and you just feel normal again, so just having that capability to get hurt and to feel normal," Bishop said.

Blair said having a visual impairment is not a reason to keep someone off the course.

"Do dangerous things just because they're blind doesn't mean they can't do dangerous things." Blair said.

Instead the danger can be somewhat empowering.

Learn more Blair Messina's organization Wildflower Wellness here.