Anthony Butler is completely blind.
His retinas were shredded during an altercation in 2008.
He began running in 2014 to lose weight and meet other disabled people.
ANTHONY BUTLER
It gives me a sense of like belonging. It helps build my confidence and it challenges me. It helps me just see things I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to witness otherwise.
Butler says there are some challenges being a visually impaired runner.
ANTHONY BUTLER
It depends on how many guides we have, like today I only had one guide for instance, so she has to like watch our feet, she has to watch other runners, she has to look out for cones. We have to pull over and get water.
Jessie Rix joined the New York City chapter of Achilles as a running guide in 2016.
JESSIE RIX
I have to say when I first met Anthony and saw him, I was like he just seems like such a fun person. I was drawn to him in a way, just in some way, I didn’t know what it was going to become but I wanted to be around him and in his presence.
Butler felt a connection, too.
After 10-15 runs together, Butler had become smitten with Rix.
ANTHONY BUTLER
Not conversation topics more but just like mannerisms, like little giggles or stuff like that.
The two have been together since, developing a solid running groove.
ANTHONY BUTLER
Her fitness level is way better than me, so she can just talk. I don’t talk as much back to her but I just listen.
JESSIE RIX
There will be runs where we don’t even talk. We just enjoy the run, enjoy what we hear around us, enjoy what we see.
ANTHONY BUTLER
For the most part, I just kind of zone out because I know I’m in good hands.
Butler says there are days he prefers not to run with Rix.
ANTHONY BUTLER
With Jessie, it’s more personal or intimate. If it becomes too stressful, I’d rather just run with someone else because I don’t want to put that stress on her because I don’t want to have negative feelings towards Jessie.
The ordinarily quiet Rix says describing her surroundings took some getting used to.
JESSIE RIX
I try my very best to put it in the right words and the right ways so he can share that with me.
ANTHONY BUTLER
She’ll just describe the scenery, we’ll stop and take photos, we’ll take selfies, high fiving people, we’re just hanging out.
The couple has run in Paris and Valencia.
They’ve lost count of the total number of races they’ve completed.
JESSIE RIX
I’m from small town Minnesota, we grew up in a rural farming community, and Anthony’s from the Bronx. He has his own backstory and I have mine and we are totally polar opposites, but somehow we find peace with the running and we have built such a strong foundation based from running.
While the couple’s story has garnered national attention, they consider themselves more laid back.
ANTHONY BUTLER
We more look at it like it’s great that it raises awareness of Achilles and disabled athletes and it gives us a voice.
Rix has simple advice for other running couples.
JESSIE RIX
Just understand that people have different goals and to respect that and enjoy it and follow that journey with that other person.
