Meet John Williams and his best friends, retired guide dogs Gracie and Omar

John Williams, a self-proclaimed professional stirrer, has been an advocate and member of the low-vision community for so long he cannot remember when he started.

But the 77-year-old can remember in detail the day he first met his faithful guide dog, Gracie, 10 years ago.

Williams shared his story with the Rotorua Daily Post for World Braille Day because he wanted people to know how important guide dogs are for people with vision impairments.

Williams completely lost his sight at the end of 2021 after years of low vision caused by glaucoma.

“I was in Manurewa because I had applied for a guide dog but you don’t know until you get your letter whether they will say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ because you apply and then they have to go right through your scenario.

Manurewa is where guide dogs are trained, a process that takes five years and costs about $35,000.

John Williams is happy to care for the two guide dogs that have supported him through the years. Photo / Andrew Warner

“It was in Manurewa that I was presented with Gracie,” Williams said.

Williams said when he first met Gracie he already loved her.

“Then we were off to the waterfront for a test run. I was walking around and then I came back and I could hear the trainers laughing. They were in stitches. I couldn’t get a word in because they were hysterical.”

Williams hadn’t realise that at more than six feet tall he had been lifting Gracie off her paws because the harness wasn’t long enough.

“I had her this far off the ground. It was like she was floating,” Williams said.

“But we went back and got a better harness and Gracie was much happier. She was very patient with me from day one and since then we’ve had a wonderful life together.

“I jumped for joy when they told me I was going to be her proud owner.”

Williams said Gracie had an excellent memory and sometimes knew him better than he knew himself.

“If I stopped at somebody’s house the next time we walked down that street she wouldn’t go past the address because she would remember and she thought I’d go in. So we’d sit down and have an argument until we sorted out what we wanted.”

Then one day about three years ago, Williams and Gracie were at lunch when a friend of theirs pointed out that one of Gracie’s eyes was “not looking well”.

“We found out Gracie had cancer and she was retired that day.”

While Gracie may no longer be Williams’ professional guide dog, she is still a member of his family.

“She has done no work ever since, I won’t hear of it. I do all the work. She’s one in a million. I plan to look after her to the end.”

Guide dog Gracie at the beginning of her five-year training. Photo / Andrew Warner

Not long after Gracie’s retirement, Williams also adopted retired guide dog Omar.

“He and Gracie play,” Williams said.

“We take them up to the park and they race. Gracie wins because Gracie is the boss and Omar huffs and puffs and tries to rule the roost.”

Williams said it was fantastic to have the two guide dogs with him.

“They look after each other. They’re not guide dogs now but as far as I’m concerned they are family.”

Williams’ advice for people with sight who encounter guide dogs is not to interfere with their work.

“Adults are the worst,” Williams said.

“They try to feed the guide dogs but they don’t realise the dogs are on a strict diet.”

Williams said even now Gracie remains on her guide dog diet but Omar will eat anything.

John Williams is a founding member and current president of the Rotorua branch of Blind Citizens New Zealand, an advocacy group aiming to give blind people the opportunity to speak for themselves. Blind Citizens New Zealand was founded in 1945 and is one of the country’s oldest advocacy organisations in the disability sector.

Williams has organised luncheons, trips away and recently fundraisers for a hybrid vehicle for transporting groceries and Blind Citizens members when needed.

The Rotorua branch has about 30 members.