Page 77 - The Exceptional Harley Fetterman

THE EXCEPTIONAL HARLEY FETTERMAN

In the same interview, Harley's mom, Beth Freeborn, commented,
“Perhaps the greatest effect the Braille Challenge has on all the
competitors is the opportunity for visually impaired children from
across the country to meet each other. The camaraderie is an
invaluable part of the overall experience for the students. It also
highlights blind students' academic prowess. I hope that the people of
Austin understand that these kids, who are visually impaired, are
actually very capable. This year more than 1,000 people sent in their
scores from regional challenges and from all these submissions only
60 are chosen to go to the competition. So just to get to the Braille
Challenge is an incredible feat.”

By 2014, Harley had qualified five of the past seven years to
compete in the National Braille Challenge. By then, he had
established a relaxing, good luck routine for his California trip to Los
Angeles. He and his family would check in to their hotel a day early.

Figure 28: iFLY, a favorite family
activity.

The first activity on his “Must Do” list was indoor skydiving at
iFLY at Universal CityWalk™. He and his whole family participated
with their typical enthusiasm. This indoor skydiving is the simulation
of true freefall conditions in a vertical wind tunnel. Return air towers

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