1) Episode Summary 

In this special Aftersight Original, Kim Wardlow shares the personal story behind her leadership and the road that led her to become Executive Director of Aftersight. She reflects on growing up in Lamar, Colorado, her early love for creativity, 4-H, cooking, service, travel, and the many work experiences that quietly prepared her for nonprofit leadership. 

Kim walks listeners through pivotal moments in her life—from studying abroad in Scotland and working internationally, to volunteering at what was then Radio Reading Service of the Rockies, to unexpectedly finding both her calling and her husband through the organization. She also shares how Aftersight has evolved over the years from volunteer-read programming into a wider community-centered organization offering podcasts, peer support, book club, white canes, and more. 

This episode is both a personal milestone and a mission-centered reflection. As Kim celebrates her 60th birthday and approaches 25 years with Aftersight, she invites listeners to see the deeper heart behind the organization: building community, increasing independence, and creating meaningful access for people who are blind, low vision, deafblind, or in need of alternatives to print. The episode closes with an invitation to support Aftersight’s work through her birthday giving campaign. 

2) Contact Info 

Guest / Organization:
Kim Wardlow — Executive Director, Aftersight
Aftersight website: aftersight.org
Birthday campaign / donations: Visit the donate page at aftersight.org 

Aftersight:
Aftersight Originals network featuring Navigating Life with Vision Loss, The Blind Chick, Blindsight, and Blind Level Tech
 

Producer Credit:
Jonathan Price — Podcast Producer, Aftersight 

3) Show Credits 

Special Aftersight Original
Featuring Kim Wardlow
Opening by Jonathan Price
Produced by Jonathan Price
Organization: Aftersight 

4) Chapter Markers 

00:00 — Jonathan’s welcome and special Aftersight introduction
00:53 — Kim introduces herself, Aftersight, and the reason for sharing her story
03:14 — Childhood in Lamar, creativity, 4-H, and early PBS dreams
05:38 — Learning leadership, service, and community values
08:03 — Solar panels, first jobs, and developing a strong work ethic
10:28 — College, Scotland, travel, and broadening her world
12:54 — Early professional life, proposal writing, and service work
15:14 — Volunteering with Radio Reading Service and working at GE Access
17:37 — Friendship, snowshoeing, travel, and a season of transition
20:02 — Layoff, September 2001, and joining Radio Reading Service
22:21 — Meeting Doug, discovering purpose, and seeing the bigger calling
24:43 — Outreach across Colorado, music, and the value of volunteers
27:04 — How Aftersight expanded into podcasts, groups, and broader services
29:29 — Leadership, rebrand, relocation, and adapting through COVID
31:44 — Community, connection, and why the work matters
34:07 — Life purpose, independence, and the mission behind Aftersight
36:31 — Kim’s birthday campaign and invitation to support Aftersight 

1. Episode Summary 

In this episode of Blindsight, host Bill Lundgren sits down with guest Jordan Hankins to talk honestly about progressive vision loss, mental health, and rebuilding a meaningful life after everything seems to fall apart. Jordan shares how a teenage diagnosis didn’t fully land until, years later, a follow-up appointment made it clear that her vision was truly deteriorating—and that blindness was no longer hypothetical. That realization launched her into months of deep depression, grief, and questions about whether life was worth living without sight. 

From there, Jordan walks listeners through how she slowly began to choose life again: solo traveling to Thailand, moving to a walkable town in Mexico, radically focusing on health and detox, and reshaping her real estate career to fit the reality of not driving. She and Bill talk about the power of grief, the danger of staying in the dark too long, and the shift from “Why me?” to “What can I build from here?” 

The conversation digs into meditation, seasons of surrender and fight, learning to advocate for yourself, and the complicated role of friends and family who want to help but don’t always know how. Jordan reflects on “losing vision but gaining vision” for her life—discovering that blindness became the catalyst to live with intention, compassion, and courage. The episode closes with an invitation to listeners to move toward the light, even if it’s just one small step at a time.  

2. Contact Info 

Guest – Jordan Hankins
Real estate professional and mental health advocate navigating progressive vision loss.
For inquiries or to connect with Jordan, please reach out through Aftersight’s helpline: 

• Phone: (720) 712-8856
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: aftersight.org

 
3. Show Credits
 

• Host: Bill Lundgren
• Guest: Jordan Hankins
• Producer: Jonathan Price, Podcast & Program Producer, Aftersight
• A Blindsight episode, an Aftersight Original Podcast

4. Chapter Markers
 

• 00:00 – Welcome to Blindsight and today’s focus on adjusting to blindness
• 02:22 – Jordan’s teenage diagnosis and early misunderstanding of her condition
• 04:41 – Field-vision tests, shock, and falling into a deep depression
• 06:58 – Choosing to live fully: solo travel, bucket lists, and reclaiming independence
• 09:20 – Career disruption, quitting a job she hated, and giving herself permission to change
• 14:15 – Rethinking real estate: doing the work she loves without driving
• 19:01 – Seasons of fighting vs. surrendering and finding humor in vision loss
• 23:46 – What Jordan can see now and why closed-eye practices feel calmer
• 28:26 – Grief beyond bereavement: therapy, dark seasons, and being truly seen
• 37:25 – The “joy list,” sound baths, and discovering meditation as a way through pain
• 46:46 – “Losing vision, gaining vision”: reframing blindness as a catalyst, not a curse
• 53:53 – Remembering everyone is carrying something: compassion for self and others
• 58:38 – Final encouragement: choosing light over darkness and moving forward on your own terms