A Davenport man is now able to see the whole world again in a way he couldn't before. Ten years ago, David Hereid's life changed after a rare disease left him legally blind.

"It’s been an emotional roller coaster for the past ten years," says Hereid. "I literally watched everything get taken away for me."

Soon Hereid found himself at his lowest point-- he didn't see a reason to go on with life.

"December of 2011, I was in a very bad place. I was broke I was homeless, I had lost everything,” says Hereird. “I made a decision to flip a coin. If it was heads I was going to the bridge in Clinton, if it was tails I would go inside."

He says his wife and family were his rescue that night. He'd saved the lives of others for years working as a firefighter and paramedic. Now it was time to save his own. Without his vision, Hereid became determined to regain his independence.

"That morning I picked myself up from that spot and said I’m going to take control of this," says Hereid. "I actually went to the Iowa Department for the Blind, spent a couple of weeks there. I learned how to cook and clean and read brail." "

Despite his progress, Hereid’s father says his son was still uneasy about having to miss out on experiences, like playing catch with his step-daughter, due to his vision impairment.

Hopes that Hereid would regain his vision were slim. That is, until his wife saw a segment on TV featuring a product called ‘eSight’.

According to the product website, “eSight electronically restores sight for the visually impaired - including those who are legally blind - allowing them to participate in virtually any Activity of Daily Living while remaining completely mobile.”

Earlier this year, Hereid got to test out the glasses. It was the first time regaining his vision became a reality. The only thing standing in the way between Hereid and his chances of playing catch – the $10,000 price tag on the eSight glasses.

That is when Hereid and his family began to raise money. With fundraising support throughout the Quad Cities, they were able to collect $6,500 towards the costs.

“We got an email telling us that the glasses were on sale for this month only,” says Hereid Sr. “They dropped the price to $6,500. Exactly the amount of money we had raised.”

Now Hereid is in for another significant change in life. This time, it’s one he’s excited to welcome. The order for eSight was placed, and yesterday they were delivered to his home.

"She has a white shirt on, she has a red shirt on," says Hereid as he describes what sees in his living today. Colors we see every day, now visible to him for the first time in ten years.

"The delivery of these was very emotional because I knew that it was the end of a chapter that I struggled with,” says Hereid. “But this is the beginning of a new one, and this is page one."

It’s an exciting day for everyone in his life.

"I got to see a miracle. I got to see a blind man see,” says Hereid Sr.

But Hereid says technology has come a long way, and that deserves recognition.

"People who are visually impaired have the opportunity to get this technology and see their loved ones, their family members."

For Hereid, it’s the little moments he's most thankful to regain

"Last night I was able to lay in bed while my wife was playing on her phone and watch the news,” says Hereid. “That is something that has not happened in the 8 years that my wife and I have been together."

He says it’s been an emotional roller coaster getting to this point, and he wants others to know things can get better- even when you lose sight of hope.

" I’m back. I’m ten feet tall and bulletproof," says Hereid.