Take a stroll through your neighborhood and see if you can spot any construction. There are many people who build homes in lots of different neighborhoods, but think for a moment if you did that without any blueprints. If you think that’s hard, imagine doing it blind. Thomas Graham does just that; builds a house from scratch with no vision.

In Bullard, Texas, there’s a home being built right now by 48-year-old Thomas Graham.  He is building this home from just plain memory, memory of his childhood home. A ton of family and residents come to help him with the project, and his wife, Evonne, is there by his side all day. Thomas can handle many different tools for construction such as hammers, saws, and other dangerous necessities.

Thomas got the idea of the house after he got his first cane. It was more of a vision, a dream you might say, but he was determined to build the home someday. His wife, Evonne Graham, said that he had always wanted to construct that house, even when she first met him. Thomas admits that whenever he gets frustrated, he tends to throw anything that’s around. He just hopes his friends or wife isn’t around when he does so.

However, there’s an emotional side to this dream that Thomas has. It’s not just about him, he wants to show he’s changed as a person. But how has he changed? What is different about his childhood self? How is he blind in the first place?                       

When Thomas was 18 years old, he agreed to rob a local bank with his father. On their attempt, his dad shot a police officer and then committed suicide. Thomas was hit by plenty of shotgun pellets, however, a few hit him in the eyes. He was then blinded for the rest of his life, but after serving six years in jail, Thomas wanted to do something to heal from his teenage self.

Nowadays, Thomas is a kind man with a big heart. He’s building this home for his father and for himself.  He’s not the man who robbed a bank with his father, he’s the man who built a house with no vision at all. 48-year-old Thomas Graham is hoping he can get it done by Christmas, which is soon, but with the willpower of this recovered man, he’ll get it done in no time!