Viral student gives back to CCVI

Emrie Wisner, a CCVI alum, can tell you anything you’d want to know about Harry Potter. What order the books go in. Her favorite character. Her father read her Harry Potter books every night; however, Emrie quickly began to ask for a version in Braille so that she could fly through Hogwarts herself. Unfortunately, Braille books are very expensive, so her aunt created a fundraiser for her to purchase copies. The family raised over $4000 with the plan to give her the books during the holidays.

Emrie’s reaction of receiving the copies quickly went viral after her aunt posted the 2020 Christmas morning video on her social media. In the clip, she ran her finger across the cover of the book revealing it was a copy of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” and a giant smile crept across her face. “Oh my God. I have my own braille copy. Now I can read it,” she said. Emrie was born with a rare genetic anomaly that left her blind and began learning braille when she was four-years-old at CCVI. Two years after receiving the books, 4 th grader Emrie is giving the gift of reading back to the organization that gave her a head start in literacy: Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired.

When Emrie and her brother, Conner, came back to visit CCVI to drop off the donation of Braille books, it was clear her love for the organization continues well past her graduation. Emrie insisted on a tour and asked to play with the younger kids or help the teachers.

Emrie, who also finished 3rd in the Braille Institute’s National Braille Competition in 2022 for her age group, already understands the impact of donating these books. She understands it could be used as a lending library for families who can’t afford the cost of recreational reading or be given to another fan like her.

This is not the first time this year an alum family has given back to CCVI. In January, we received a donation of adaptive equipment that celebrated the life of a former student, Cecilia.

At CCVI, our impact transcends their time in the building or in our in-home program. The foundation they receive here sticks with them in their skills and their memories for years to come, setting them up for a successful future.

And what might Emrie’s future look like? “I want to come back and be a teacher at CCVI,” Emrie said while leaving the building and the books behind to touch the life of another child.