A legally blind worker at Walmart opens up about vision loss and his DMs quickly blow up

Jacoby Brown, a legally blind worker at Walmart in Little Rock, Arkansas, is sharing his journey to encourage others with disabilities.

The 24-year-old stocker works overnight shifts while managing several severe eye conditions that limit his vision to just 20 feet, which most people can see from 200.

Although daily life is challenging, Jacoby says the hardest part has been finding steady work.

Now, he’s speaking out to show that determination can push through even the toughest barriers.

“A lot of the people that I come across, they’re not nice,” he tells PEOPLE. “If you have a disability out there, you know this, a lot of people that we come across, they are not nice.”

Overcoming challenges to find steady work as a legally blind employee

In 2023, Jacoby applied for a job at Walmart. He was upfront about his disability with Brenda Draper, the store’s “people lead.”

Brenda offered him a chance, and Brown began as a “zoner,” responsible for cleaning a designated store area.

This was part of the store’s accommodation for his legal blindness. After a few months, he moved on to stocking. This job was initially intimidating, but it became easier with time and experience.

Sharing his story on social media

As a legally blind employee, Jacoby shares his journey on TikTok under the handle “theblindguy_,” documenting the daily challenges of his condition.

Despite the obstacles, his videos reflect a positive and determined attitude.

He has maintained this outlook for years, starting with Snapchat videos at Henderson State University.

Although he faced bullying, he turned the negativity into motivation, naming his account after one of the harsh labels he was given.

“You call me this, but I don’t care,” Jacoby says.

Jacoby initially made funny videos on Snapchat, with many encouraging him to try TikTok.

At first, he didn’t take their advice, but during the early days of COVID, he decided to give it a shot.

Although he wasn’t posting much initially, he eventually began sharing videos, though they didn’t attract much attention.

That changed in November 2024, when Jacoby posted a TikTok during a break from his overnight shift.

In the video, he discussed the importance of people with disabilities putting themselves “out there.”

While the video was later deleted, it marked a key moment in his social media journey.

“I was walking through the fitting room, and I was just like, ‘Well, I want to create a TikTok about me being legally blind and an overnight stocker,’” he recalls. “I didn’t even know that the video was going to go viral, but it did.”

Jacoby was surprised by the swift attention his video received, quickly surpassing 20,000 views within two hours and reaching over 300,000 in just a week and a half.

In an unexpected show of support, Walmart’s executive vice president shared the LinkedIn video praising his “hard work.”

Jacoby was overwhelmed by the positive feedback, saying it brought him joy to see how the video inspired not just people with disabilities but also those without.

Support and respect in the workplace

Jacoby uses his TikTok account to highlight the struggles he and others in the disability community face, including unemployment and rising costs.

He says people with disabilities often face discrimination, with many employers seeing them as a liability and refusing to hire them.

He also points out that people with disabilities are sometimes taken advantage of, especially when asking for help with things like getting rides.

Having left college due to mental health issues, Jacoby has worked at places like Chick-fil-A and in various factories, acknowledging that he has faced challenges in every job he’s had.

Jacoby says the support and respect he receives from his team make his current job stand out—a rare experience in his previous workplaces.

Brenda explains that Jacoby showed strong motivation from the start. Although there were a few challenges early on, she notes that his growth has been impressive.

She points out that many employees without disabilities only stay a few weeks or months. Still, Jacoby has remained committed and continues to enjoy his work.

Jacoby adds that, for the first time, he feels like he truly belongs in the workplace. Even though it may take him a bit longer to complete certain tasks, his coworkers treat him with patience and understanding.

Looking ahead, Jacoby plans to return to college and pursue a career in social work. His goal is to support others with disabilities in finding jobs and building fulfilling careers.

“They’re really scared to just put themselves out there because they’re scared of people being mean and things like that,” he says. “But I just say, ‘You may get 5, 6, 7 no’s, but just keep going because I promise you, you’re going to get that yes.’”

Here’s Jacobe, sharing his daily routine at Walmart as a legally blind employee:

@theeblindguy_ Ydon’t let your disability stop you #legallyblind #walmart #blindcommunity ♬ original sound – jacoby