It’s been eighteen days since a video of my son, Jonathan Jones, trying on color blind glasses went viral. Eighteen days that have changed our lives—and in turn, will change the lives of hundreds of children just like him.
I discovered Jonathan was color blind when he was nine. At the time, I didn’t fully grasp how much it affected him. He would tell me about struggling to distinguish the colors of the dry erase markers teachers used on the board or ask me to check if his clothes truly matched. I always assumed these were small, isolated challenges. Watching the flood of comments, messages, and excitement about what he sees now has shown me just how wrong I was. This simple shift in perception has opened up a whole world for him—and for those following his story.
Last week, after an early morning national TV interview, Jonathan asked if we could stop at a donut shop for breakfast. He wanted to celebrate doing so well on live television for the first time. On the way in, he suddenly yelled, “Mom! Look at THAT!” I had no idea what he meant—it seemed like just a plain storefront.
“Mom, look at that flashing OPEN sign! I had no idea that’s what it really looked like. Do you see how bright red and blue the letters are? I could look at this all day!”
It’s been moments like this that have made us realize how many small wonders Jonathan had been missing. The glowing numbers on the microwave, green freeway signs, Christmas lights, the colors of his clothes—all these ordinary things have become extraordinary in his eyes. And witnessing his amazement has been nothing short of magical.
While Jonathan had the world’s attention, he used it to shine a light on others. Through his GoFundMe, he is helping provide color correction glasses for children like him. Our original goal was modest: to raise $350 for one pair of glasses. We launched the fund at 9:00 PM the night his video went live. Less than 24 hours later, donations had surged to $10,000. Strangers from all over the world were moved by Jonathan’s story—and trusted us enough to support this cause. Today, the GoFundMe sits at over $32,000.
The generosity didn’t stop there. The day after the GoFundMe was created, we were contacted by EnChroma, the company that makes the glasses. They offered to donate one free pair for every pair purchased with our fund, instantly doubling the number of children we could help. We were once again blown away by the love and kindness in the world.
So, what is it like to watch your child go viral, appear on national news, and be interviewed on major talk shows? Overwhelming. Pure and simple. There has been very little sleep, endless interviews, phone calls, emails, and nights away from home. But the love, light, and generosity we’ve received in return have been deeply humbling and profoundly beautiful.
Over these past 18 days, the literal eyes of the world have been on Jonathan, yet he has handled it with remarkable grace and strength. There were moments when it felt like we couldn’t manage it all, but we stayed laser-focused on the GoFundMe and the opportunity to use this viral moment to bless others. Our mantra throughout has been simple: It’s not about us.
In Jonathan’s own words: “Mom, going viral has been so fun, but I never want to do it again.” And yet, in those eighteen days, he has already changed so many lives—and shown the world just how vibrant life can be when we see it in full color.
