Derrick and Michaela Apple Siblings and RFB&D members Derrick and Michaela Apple of TN, have much in common, including a love of challenge. Derrick, 14, is a Tae Kwon Do competitor who has already earned national and Kentucky state titles. Michaela, 11, is a gymnast who recently joined a competitive team, performing routines on the uneven bars, balance beam and vault.

Both were diagnosed two years ago with Stargardt’s Disease, a form of macular dystrophy affecting the retina. As a result, both have low vision and are legally blind. While the disease is hereditary, their mother, Melanie Apple, says that her children are the first members of her family to show signs of it.

Derrick took up the martial art form of Tae Kwon Do about one-and-a-half years ago, after hearing about it from some of his school friends. He quickly proved he could excel at the sport. He recently placed second in the nation — out of 1,600 contestants — in the Amateur Athletic Union Tae Kwon Do Adult and Youth National Championships. He also earned a gold medal in sparring at the Kentucky State Qualifier.

“It’s really fun,” Derrick says. “I like it because it teaches you how to fight and how to protect yourself. It’s a real challenge.”

Michaela began doing gymnastics when she was eight years old and joined a competitive team in November 2003. The only accommodation she needs is a piece of red construction paper taped to the vault so she can see the apparatus.

She credits her cousins with getting her involved in the sport.“They taught me how to do the flips,” Michaela says. “I like the uneven bars. I like it because it’s challenging.”

The brother and sister have something else in common. Both are honor roll students, Derrick at Gordonsville High School; Michaela at Gordonsville Elementary. Derrick’s favorite subject is science, while Michaela enjoys spelling and social studies. And both use recorded textbooks from RFB&D to help keep on top of their studies.

For both their athletic and academic excellence, Mrs. Apple is — understandably — proud of her children.“I can see a very big difference in both of them since they started doing this. They feel like they can do anything,” she says.

“The recorded books have been great. Michaela is an avid reader and her eyes become tired very easily … Derrick is required to do a book report every six weeks,” says Mrs. Apple. “This is when RFB&D becomes a tremendous help to them. They can put in a recorded book and give their eyes a rest.”