As someone with Strabismus I had to drop out of gymnastics because my depth perception was so bad I couldn’t tell how far away the end of the beam was… this is INCREDIBLE! I struggle so much with depth perception, balance, focusing on a still object, and hand eye coordination because of my eye condition. To be an olympic gymnast with eye problems is absolutely INSANE! You don’t realize just how important vision is in gymnastics until you’ve experienced it.
I’m still struggling to accept my strabismus, but seeing him being so open about it makes me cry with joy- it feels like years of hating myself, shame and embarrassment is being lifted off my shoulders. For the first time in my life, I finally feel like I can overcome this - and maybe one day I can accept and love who I am.
Please Ray Ban, Maui Jim or some other glasses company sign this wonderful bro to be the face of your brand. He is so good and a real inspiration to us glasses wearers.
How odd. I never heard of Maui Jim glasses until about three hours ago, and here's another reference to them. Is today Maui Jim day? But those are standard sunglasses for people with good eyes, contacts, or have had laser surgery. Nedoroscik wouldn't use them, and he doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who would endorse a product he'd never in his life use. I also doubt if we'll see him shilling for an optometry franchise, as they tend to do a lousy job with specialty lenses. But yeah, I'm 99% sure you're right -- he'll wind up with some lucrative endorsement deals.
Stephen, hats off to you for raising the awareness of Low Vision and how it can be just a condition, not a lifelong stumbling block! I am a Low Vision Rehabilitation eye doctor in Los Angeles, and so am well aware of Coloboma and Strabismus. You are a Rock Star!
He is _such_ a rock star. Some see Clark Kent. I see Buddy Holly with loads more muscles, especially after his routine. My goodness, can you believe the difference before and after his killer performance? Whoosh!
I have Strabismus (crossed eye) in my left eye im practically half blind. Its so cool to see other people who have this condition like myself especially making it on the media. I have massive self esteem issues, but here Stephen is showing his full self to the world very inspirational !
Stephen gives new meaning to being a role model! 🥰 It's not enough he's on Team USA killing it as a gymnast, he's giving people with vision issues positive vibes! He's from my home state and I hope we have a parade for him! 🥰😎🏅
Love this kid and wish him well. He is cute as a button, talented, focused, etc. A clever eyewear designer or manufacturer should get him under contract.
He's not the only one. David Smith on the men's volleyball team is severely hearing impaired (he wears a hearing aid) and they actually had to tweak their play style slightly to work with him, but he's just that good so he made the team.
I am in awe of him. At 54 with strabismis, poor depth perception and balance, there are many sports and activities I struggle with or cannot even do. Yes, I can do the lefy eye, right eye moves, but as a tween and teen, I was unmercifully teased or rediculed, especially in PE. Always picked last. 😢 Go Stephen.
I’ve got strabismus too and I feel your pain. But if there’s one thing he taught us is that we’re not limited by our condition, we won’t let it define us, and we are capable of achieving great things.
Thank you for reporting on something that people wanna/need to know. I remember volunteering with my PTA to do hearing and eye tests for elementary school children -- turns out, those little tests brought attentin to many who needed glasses for different reasons.
As a kid who grew up with multiple eye diseases, I can’t spell or pronounce lol he is a true inspiration, and I wish I had had an inspiration like him when I was going through patch therapy and bouncing off walls, cause I couldn’t see where I was going.I’m now 50 and while my visions not great I have learned to adapt
My dad had Retinoblastoma when he was in his 50’s. It’s normally a childhood cancer. Very rare for an adult to have that type of cancer. It was melanoma. Radiation was successful and dad is now 87 years old!
Good vision is so underrated in athletics. The difference between a good athlete and a great athlete often comes down to excellent vision. It’s so important in any sport that involves a ball or puck or any sport which involves motion.
He also managed to get an Engineering degree. Let’s face it, most Olympians only go to one maybe to Games and have other careers. Thanks to Stephen and USA Men’s Gymastics for representing 🇺🇸 with such class and honor. Congrats on your victory!
Life imitating art. Long ago on a show called "Highway to Heaven" they had an episode where a star high school athlete gets in an accident and loses his legs at the knees. He finally regains his confidence and joy by learning the pommel horse and becoming good at the sport, while inspiring others.
There is also a character in Breaking one movie who was break Dancing and was a paraplegic who was in the chair an then got in the crutches and went hard. I love that movie.
oh my gosh. I have a similar condition, have glasses, and I have felt like they limited me so much! (I was only diagnosed at age 25, it sucked. I have double vision without my glasses, the glasses mostly fix it). I wish I could go back to contacts, tbh...
So much respect for Stephen! Wonderful personality too. I wonder if he has ADHD, in several interviews he mentions filling out a n ADHD questionnaire with his girlfriend as a freshman. So many ADHD peeps have sensitive eyes or other eye issues (myself included). Go Stephen! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Just had a first time operation for strabismus as a 51 year old. I had the condition since I was a kid . Referring to the condition as cross-eyed or lazy eyed is inaccurate. It is when your eyes are misaligned and point different ways
My grandson has a coloboma. His eye can be very sensitive to light because the pupil does not restrict as it should, but otherwise not painful. He has very poor vision in that eye and it affects his peripheral vision. It really is a condition that can be very mild to quite severe, so he is lucky it is not worse than it is.
@@jennamakesbugs give him a hug every day. Know this people with visual revision has very high stimuli in other senses. Hearing,touch, smell, taste. It's like 115,%. Also very empathetic kinda a curse and a gift too.
Oh goodnight! He’s a hero because he wears glasses!? How ridiculous! How about the years he has dedicated to his sport, the hours of practice and doing without a social life!? Give him credit for what he actually did!
As a glasses wearer, I love that we have this amazing, smart, bright, wholesome guy representing us at the Olympics!
As someone with Strabismus I had to drop out of gymnastics because my depth perception was so bad I couldn’t tell how far away the end of the beam was… this is INCREDIBLE! I struggle so much with depth perception, balance, focusing on a still object, and hand eye coordination because of my eye condition. To be an olympic gymnast with eye problems is absolutely INSANE! You don’t realize just how important vision is in gymnastics until you’ve experienced it.
Perhaps that's one of the reasons he specializes in pummel horse, because he doesn't need to do flips or jumps that require greater depth perception?
@@TQV_4013 very true! Although I would think balance is a pretty important thing on pommel horse, I wouldn’t know, I did womens gymnastics.
I’m still struggling to accept my strabismus, but seeing him being so open about it makes me cry with joy- it feels like years of hating myself, shame and embarrassment is being lifted off my shoulders. For the first time in my life, I finally feel like I can overcome this - and maybe one day I can accept and love who I am.
@TQV_4013 and Pommel is the usually the most difficult event in Men's. Even more incredible that he can specialize in it!
@@SoapyCilantro Love yourself despite your flaws, we all have them! Always remember that you are not alone, you are loved, and you are cared for!
Please Ray Ban, Maui Jim or some other glasses company sign this wonderful bro to be the face of your brand. He is so good and a real inspiration to us glasses wearers.
Straight up😊!!!
How odd. I never heard of Maui Jim glasses until about three hours ago, and here's another reference to them. Is today Maui Jim day?
But those are standard sunglasses for people with good eyes, contacts, or have had laser surgery. Nedoroscik wouldn't use them, and he doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who would endorse a product he'd never in his life use. I also doubt if we'll see him shilling for an optometry franchise, as they tend to do a lousy job with specialty lenses. But yeah, I'm 99% sure you're right -- he'll wind up with some lucrative endorsement deals.
He’s definitely the Clark Kent of men’s gymnastics
He's a very good 4eyed gymnast🤓. I'm just a mediocre 2eyed gymnast😳.
More like Steve Smith.
I keep liking him more and more the more I learn about him. Seems like a wonderful person. Not to mention a terrific gymnast and brilliant.
What a terrific spokesperson for difficult vision issues!🥇🎉👓🎉🥇
Stephen, hats off to you for raising the awareness of Low Vision and how it can be just a condition, not a lifelong stumbling block! I am a Low Vision Rehabilitation eye doctor in Los Angeles, and so am well aware of Coloboma and Strabismus. You are a Rock Star!
Fr
He is _such_ a rock star. Some see Clark Kent. I see Buddy Holly with loads more muscles, especially after his routine. My goodness, can you believe the difference before and after his killer performance? Whoosh!
I have Strabismus (crossed eye) in my left eye im practically half blind. Its so cool to see other people who have this condition like myself especially making it on the media. I have massive self esteem issues, but here Stephen is showing his full self to the world very inspirational !
Stephen gives new meaning to being a role model! 🥰 It's not enough he's on Team USA killing it as a gymnast, he's giving people with vision issues positive vibes! He's from my home state and I hope we have a parade for him! 🥰😎🏅
Love this kid and wish him well. He is cute as a button, talented, focused, etc. A clever eyewear designer or manufacturer should get him under contract.
Agree😊!
This young man is astounding! Watching his routine made me dizzy!
Let this sink in for a minute.... he's not competing in the Paralympics. He's competing in the ABLE BODIED Olympics with limited vision. Wow!!
Stephen can't compete at the Paralympics because there's never been a gymnastics category at the Paralympics (as of writing this in 2024).
@@IvorySapphire22Wow I learned new things everyday
He's not the only one. David Smith on the men's volleyball team is severely hearing impaired (he wears a hearing aid) and they actually had to tweak their play style slightly to work with him, but he's just that good so he made the team.
@@bemusedbandersnatch2069which team?
Stephen is amazing and such a great role model
Bless him. Stephen is an inspiration in many ways. I’m so pleased he’s done so well at the Olympics.
What an adorable dork! 😊
adorkable*
Smart & charming...
I am in awe of him. At 54 with strabismis, poor depth perception and balance, there are many sports and activities I struggle with or cannot even do. Yes, I can do the lefy eye, right eye moves, but as a tween and teen, I was unmercifully teased or rediculed, especially in PE. Always picked last. 😢 Go Stephen.
Understand completely, I was so glad we only had to take PE for three years, that was my worst class every year.
I was picked last too. 🙏🏽💕
@@jillsy2815 I've had perfect eyesight😳👁👁my whole life, and still, I was picked last. And bullied by everyone, even by guys with glasses!
I’ve got strabismus too and I feel your pain. But if there’s one thing he taught us is that we’re not limited by our condition, we won’t let it define us, and we are capable of achieving great things.
Thank you for reporting on something that people wanna/need to know. I remember volunteering with my PTA to do hearing and eye tests for elementary school children -- turns out, those little tests brought attentin to many who needed glasses for different reasons.
As a kid who grew up with multiple eye diseases, I can’t spell or pronounce lol he is a true inspiration, and I wish I had had an inspiration like him when I was going through patch therapy and bouncing off walls, cause I couldn’t see where I was going.I’m now 50 and while my visions not great I have learned to adapt
Stephen you are a HERO thank you for helping your team to receive their Olympic medals!!! 💯💯💯💯💯💥💥💥💥💥💥
My dad had Retinoblastoma when he was in his 50’s. It’s normally a childhood cancer. Very rare for an adult to have that type of cancer. It was melanoma. Radiation was successful and dad is now 87 years old!
Such an amazing young man!
He is amazing and this just continues to propel him into the stratosphere ❤
I love this guy I never heard of until two days ago!
Definitely a Super hero!!! A REAL ONE!!! He's the total package of human resilience....Love u Stephen..Keep up AWARENESS 👑💫🙏💥✌❤🌎
WOW! THIS is INCREDIBLE!!
Wow....I mean, WOW!! Hats off and kudos to the man! 💪
Good vision is so underrated in athletics. The difference between a good athlete and a great athlete often comes down to excellent vision. It’s so important in any sport that involves a ball or puck or any sport which involves motion.
He also managed to get an Engineering degree. Let’s face it, most Olympians only go to one maybe to Games and have other careers. Thanks to Stephen and USA Men’s Gymastics for representing 🇺🇸 with such class and honor. Congrats on your victory!
He is an amazing young man! Clark Kent/Superman!
Steve! ❤ So happy that he got the gold! I didn't know this about him, which makes him even more incredible!
What an inspiration 🙌
Best wishes to this young man
Ty Steven for all you do for your cause
Life imitating art. Long ago on a show called "Highway to Heaven" they had an episode where a star high school athlete gets in an accident and loses his legs at the knees. He finally regains his confidence and joy by learning the pommel horse and becoming good at the sport, while inspiring others.
There is also a character in Breaking one movie who was break Dancing and was a paraplegic who was in the chair an then got in the crutches and went hard. I love that movie.
@@timafiggy
Sounds good.
oh my gosh. I have a similar condition, have glasses, and I have felt like they limited me so much! (I was only diagnosed at age 25, it sucked. I have double vision without my glasses, the glasses mostly fix it). I wish I could go back to contacts, tbh...
So much respect for Stephen! Wonderful personality too. I wonder if he has ADHD, in several interviews he mentions filling out a n ADHD questionnaire with his girlfriend as a freshman. So many ADHD peeps have sensitive eyes or other eye issues (myself included). Go Stephen! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Living proof that you can do anything that you put your mind to!❤
Love his mission!
He definitely has the Clark Kent vibe going on! Wearing glasses is not so bad! 😊
Love this dude, pommel horse guy rocks, but 0:58 is spooky! That's wild!
❤ Love Pommel guy, ❤ US gymnastic team, Love intelligence and cubic cube TEAM 🇺🇸
He is so adorbs , very inspiring.teaches us wr really don't need our eyes to do. He is like Toph( Avatar the last Airbender reference )on the mat.
Just had a first time operation for strabismus as a 51 year old. I had the condition since I was a kid . Referring to the condition as cross-eyed or lazy eyed is inaccurate. It is when your eyes are misaligned and point different ways
“We see a lot of kids that need to wear glasses…to have a role model that they can see…” I see what you did there, doc
Not all heroes wear capes
Oh yaaaaaaaaaa. Congratulations From Buffalo new york ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
We love Steve!!!
Inspiring!
He would be the PERFECT Peter Parker !!!!
Y is my cousin so awesome
Very cool!🎉🥇🎉
That explains why he had his eyes closed the entire time while waiting for his turn to compete.
Brilliantly explained ❤😊😊😊😊
Has this guy got the best PR outfit or what? It seems to be all about him when his team was happy he didn't screw up under pressure this time.
Lets end the stigma of people wearing glasses.
Glasses are cool in some circles. They are now often used in modeling.
I like him
I'm in LOVE 😍
Congratulations;actions to him.
I have the exact same condition
Given his eye conditions, Stephen may have a chance to qualify to compete in the Paralympics as well I suppose
Coloboma sounds painful.
My grandson has a coloboma. His eye can be very sensitive to light because the pupil does not restrict as it should, but otherwise not painful. He has very poor vision in that eye and it affects his peripheral vision. It really is a condition that can be very mild to quite severe, so he is lucky it is not worse than it is.
@@jennamakesbugs give him a hug every day. Know this people with visual revision has very high stimuli in other senses. Hearing,touch, smell, taste. It's like 115,%. Also very empathetic kinda a curse and a gift too.
He landed the bronze!
He looks more like David Tennant as Dr. Who
I BET STEPHEN DOESN'T REALIZE HE IS ONE SEXY YOUNG MAN. BEST WISHES TO HIM IN HIS LIFE. GLASSES COMPANIES SHOULD ENDORSE HIM.
His girlfriend knows it!😊
I agree.
They say the sexiest people are the ones who don't know it...
scott the woz
Orgullo boliviano
Glasses rule!
Did the news guy need to say "thick" glasses?? He couldn't just say glasses??😤😤😤
Bronze Medalist ladies and gentlemen 🙏
Oh goodnight! He’s a hero because he wears glasses!? How ridiculous! How about the years he has dedicated to his sport, the hours of practice and doing without a social life!? Give him credit for what he actually did!
Are you serious? This is what you spend time doing a story on?