Teen Loses Eyesight, Wins Ohio Award for Resilience

When AnnaMari Smith started losing her vision during eighth grade, she could have given up on school. Instead, she learned an entirely new way to navigate the world and inspired everyone around her.

The 14-year-old from Elyria, Ohio, suffers from neurofibromatosis Type 2, a rare genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on the nervous system. In 2022, tumors in her brain took the vision in her right eye. By summer 2025, after another surgery, she was completely blind.

Most kids struggle with the transition from middle school to high school under normal circumstances. AnnaMari faced that change while simultaneously learning to live without sight, mastering braille, and adapting to a completely different way of learning.

She didn't just survive. She thrived.

On Wednesday, at a special assembly at Westwood Middle School, AnnaMari received the R.A. Horn Outstanding Student Achievement Award from the Ohio Department of Education. The award recognizes students who demonstrate extraordinary bravery and commitment while overcoming serious challenges.

Every year, Ohio's 16 state support regions each select one student for the honor. The Region 2 board, representing Lorain, Erie, and Huron counties, unanimously chose AnnaMari.

"AnnaMari is an extraordinary young woman," said Dan Blatt, her teacher for students with visual impairments. "What she has dealt with and how she has dealt with it, just going headfirst and doing everything she can to adjust to her new life. Her outlook on life and her personality have made everyone around her a better person."

Why This Inspires

AnnaMari's story reminds us that resilience isn't about facing hardship without fear. It's about moving forward anyway, one brave step at a time.

Her teachers and father spent months secretly planning the surprise award presentation. AnnaMari, clever as always, suspected something was up but played along with their excitement.

"She is the most exceptional little person I could ask for as a dad," said her father, Andrew Smith. "It's just a blessing to have her as a kid. For her to win something like this, there's no one I think that could really deserve it better."

AnnaMari's courage hasn't just changed her own life. She's shown her classmates, teachers, and community what true strength looks like when someone refuses to let circumstances define their future.