One day in 1997, at the age of 4, Robert was riding in the car and wondered why he couldn't see the CN tower on the horizon anymore. Later, at a doctor's appointment, he thought someone was playing a trick on him when he covered his left eye, because suddenly the room went dark.  Doctors told him needed surgery to remove a brain tumor. After surgery, it was dark all of the time, because now Robert was blind.

Robert spent more than 11 years battling his brain tumors, and every day since that first surgery he had to learn how to adapt to a world without sight.

When you hear Robert's story, you will see that being blind has never held him back. Adversity and the will to overcome it define Robert. He is a competitive swimmer, runs a successful charity and is a graduate of St. Lawrence College. Robert has received the King Clancy Award from the Canadian Foundation for Physically Disabled Persons, a Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal, and has been inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame in recognition of his work for people with disabilities. Robert enjoys spending time in the kitchen and finds himself occupied by his passion for woodworking.