Blinded at 10, Man Befriends Soldier Who Shot Him

When a rubber bullet destroyed Richard Moore's eyesight at age 10, it changed his life forever. But not in the way you'd expect.

Moore was running home through his Derry neighborhood in 1972 when a British soldier fired at him for taking an unauthorized route past a military outpost. The bullet hit his face, taking both eyes. He was just a Catholic kid caught in the crossfire of Northern Ireland's decades-long sectarian violence known as The Troubles.

Today, the 60-something Moore owns a successful pub and founded Children in Crossfire, a global charity helping kids in poverty-stricken communities. And the man who shot him? They're friends now.

"I actually had no anger, no bitterness, no hatred for the person who shot me," Moore told members of the Anglican Consultative Council during their recent visit to Derry. He tracked down the soldier in 2006 and forgave him face to face.

His secret to finding happiness after such trauma comes down to one choice. "Forgiveness is a gift that you give to yourself," he said.

Moore shared his story in St. Augustine's Church as part of the council's pilgrimage to Derry, once an epicenter of Irish sectarian violence. The city's iconic Peace Bridge, completed in 2011, now connects its historically divided Protestant and Catholic sides.

The Ripple Effect

Moore's personal reconciliation mirrors the broader peace Northern Ireland has worked to maintain since the 1998 peace agreement ended The Troubles. His charity has expanded his compassion globally, turning his childhood trauma into help for vulnerable children worldwide.

The city still wrestles with old divisions, according to Irish Archbishop John McDowell. Even Derry's name sparks debate between those who prefer the British "Londonderry" and the Irish "Doire."

But Derry residents showed their progress through exuberant hospitality, greeting the visiting Anglican representatives with long welcome lines and warm handshakes. McDowell noted that ending war was difficult, but making peace requires completely different skills.

Moore's journey from victim to forgiver to global changemaker proves those skills can be learned. His face bears permanent scars from that 1972 day, but his life tells a story of healing that transcends them.