Grosse Pointe North Teacher Spends Spring Break Recruiting for Ride-A-Thon

One of 's science teachers bypassed a beach and sunny weather this week during spring break. Instead he used the break to organize and recruit people for his Ride-A-Thon charity event to benefit the Michigan Eye Bank. 

Gary Abud is a double cornea transplant recipient. Not only does he want to give back after receiving the gift of perfect vision twice but he also wants to educate people about the organ donor registry. 

The 26-year-old science teacher describes his pre-transplant vision as "looking through a rain-covered windshield in a severe storm." His post-transplant vision was overwhelming, he said. 

"My wife went in with me. Before I had the surgery, I could not see the details of her face," Abud said. "After I could see my wife across the exam room. To see that she was smiling, that really stood out to me."

His first surgery in 2007 restored vision in his left eye--changing his vision from so imperfect he couldn't drive to perfect vision. In 2008, Abud's vision in his right eye was restored.

The surgeries repaired a degenerative eye disease--keratoconus--which Abud had dealt with since he was a young child. The first time symptom noticed by others, namely his parents, was squinting, Abud said. The disease is treated by an ever-increasing prescription in eyeglasses until the glasses no longer make a difference. Treatment is escalated but as the disease progresses, surgery becomes the only option as in Abud's case. 

His priority now is to support the Michigan Eye Bank, noting how vast of a difference his life is with perfect vision. Details are the biggest part of the difference between before and after, he said. 

In addition to being able to see clearly, Abud's other minor daily reminder are special eyedrops that reduce inflammation and fight off his body's natural instinct to reject the foreign corneas. 

Abud is a spinning instructor at Next Level Health and Fitness in St. Clair Shores and decided to use his passion for this form of exercise to support the Michigan Eye Bank. 

On June 5 Abud and others will teach five different spinning sessions--each session can have a maximum of 15 riders--from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Next Level. There is a $25 entry fee, which benefits the eye bank. The fee includes the spinning session, a tee-shirt and lunch. There will also be a silent auction.

This is the second time Abud has had an event. His first event was shortly after his second transplant, he said. 

While he is looking forward to the event itself, one part he favors is the education about and the registration for the donor registry, he said. Cornea's are not one of the organ's that can be given by a living donor, which is why the registry is so important, he said. 

The vast difference in how Abud perceives the world on a daily basis is hard to express in words. He's tried to share that appreciation and difference with his donor's mother, who lives out-of-state. 

His donor was a 17-year-old boy whose eyes were his stand-out feature, Abud learned from his donor's mother. 

"I have an entirely different perspective on life," Abud said, noting his activism in educating people about the donor registry.

According to the Eye Bank Association of America, more than 50,000 cornea transplants are performed annually and the need for donated corneas is never satisfied. 

Each year as a teacher, he begins the year by having each student share one unique fact about themselves. He also participated, sharing that his is a double cornea transplant recipient. 

This year, he learned one of his students had a father who had recently undergone a double lung transplant. That connection has fostered conversations that otherwise never would have happened, Abud said. 

So far during spring break, Abud has registered 12 additional people for the Ride-A-Thon and he's looking for more to join. To register, visit the Michigan Eye Bank website or click here. For additional information call 734-887-2675 or send an email the eye bank contact.