Blind Man and Guide Dog Pretzel March in Sydney Mardi Gras

For the first time in his life, Scott Dixon-Smith is marching in a pride parade, and he's bringing his best friend along for the journey.

Tonight, Dixon-Smith and his guide dog Pretzel will join thousands at Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade. Just over a year ago, Dixon-Smith met Pretzel through Guide Dogs NSW/ACT, and the golden retriever transformed his world instantly.

"You cannot even begin to imagine the amazing difference it has made in my life," Dixon-Smith said. After three decades using a cane to navigate Sydney's streets, he folded it up and grabbed Pretzel's harness without hesitation.

The pair now glide down to the wharf together, tackle escalators and stairs with ease, and explore their neighborhood independently. Dixon-Smith packs Pretzel's favorite treats (kangaroo and chicken tenderloin) and extra water for tonight's celebration, though his four-legged partner will skip the after-party to avoid sensory overload.

Dixon-Smith's journey to this moment spans continents and decades. At 20, while playing tennis on a US sports scholarship, he started missing balls on the court. His coach thought he was lazy, but doctors diagnosed retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative disease that slowly stole his vision.

By 40, Dixon-Smith had lost his sight completely. But losing his vision wasn't the hardest part of his story.

Working in corporate America during the 1980s, Dixon-Smith found his workplace accommodating about his blindness. They enlarged fonts and adjusted materials so he could succeed at IBM and later launch his own software company.

His sexuality was different. After hearing colleagues make derogatory comments about gay people, Dixon-Smith created two separate lives: personal and professional.

"I knew at the time going into corporate America, it wasn't something that was readily approved of," he said. He kept his truth hidden for years, suppressing a fundamental part of himself to survive in the business world.

That changed when he started his own company and stopped hiding. "When somebody would ask me if I were married or if I was dating, I would let them know: 'Yes, and his name is so-and-so.'"

Why This Inspires

Dixon-Smith never imagined he'd march in a pride parade when he was hiding in corporate boardrooms decades ago. Now he's doing exactly that, showing thousands of spectators that disability should never be a barrier to living authentically.

"I have never allowed my disability to define me," he said. He hopes parade attendees will approach him and start conversations, opening doors for others with vision impairment to participate more fully in community events.

Pretzel will wear a special harness tonight so the crowd can easily spot him. Together, they're proving that the only real barriers are the ones we set for ourselves.