If you lost your eyesight tomorrow, what would you do next?
That was the question one Lubbock man found himself struggling to answer when he completely lost his vision at 35-years-old due to two hereditary eye diseases.
“When I first went blind I had a pity party, and no one was sorrier for me than I was,” said Allen Johnson.
Now, at 74-years-old, Mr. Johnson says his life has changed in all the right ways for the better.
“Blindness is one of the greatest gifts that God gave me.”
To fill his time, Mr. Johnson picked up a hobby that at first worried his wife: working with power tools to create miniature wooden collectibles.
“I was very nervous, very apprehensive because I could just see blood and guts everywhere,” said Lea Johnson. “He’s going to cut off his arm or his finger or his hand, but you know, when your loved one loves it so much, he gets so much joy out of it.”
“I run power tools, I don’t carve anything. The only thing I can do with a sharp knife is cut myself,” joked Mr. Johnson. “The odd part of it is, it’s all made out of scrap wood. It’s fence pickets, fence posts, dropped pieces from construction sites. It’s just things that people are throwing away that I find can be put of use.”
When asked what her favorite piece was, Mrs. Johnson said she couldn’t possibly decide, until she looked up at her mantelpiece. Sitting across it, was a long wooden train, another creation of Mr. Johnson’s. She recalls that was her favorite, because the entire train was made out of the dinner table the family used as their children were growing up.
Mr. Johnson’s home showroom is overflowing with wooden windmills, trailers, trains, trucks, stagecoaches and much more, all intricately made to show as much detail as possible. He and his wife haven’t been able to keep track of all the things he’s made; some are across the world and scattered throughout the United States with happy customers who just had to have one of his masterpieces. He has even been featured on “Ripley’s Believe It or Not!’
Also, a Tech grad, Mr. Johnson was also one of twenty-two other blind students in his graduating class in December 1985. He graduated with a 3.2 GPA.
“I didn’t know I was married to a celebrity,” said Mrs. Johnson. “He’s a very humble person, and he loves people that learn something from his work.”
So how exactly does someone who is blind use power tools to create such intricate pieces? Mr. Johnson’s answer is simple.
“It’s just done by the grace of God,” said Mr. Johnson. “The only thing that limits me is my imagination. I work under God’s inspiration and under His protection.”
Mr. Johnson says he attributes his success and creations to his faith and family. He resides in Lubbock, where he continues to work on his wooden collectibles, “Jest Precious” Memories by Touch.
Interested in seeing his showroom in person? The couple says you are welcome to visit, just to make sure you call ahead of time: (806) 793 – 2391.