“There was a sweetness that hung in the air and as the sun disappeared, it gave way to more stars than we have ever seen in our lives,” Lemay said. “It was just magic.” Their children, Mia, Leo, Colin and Laurent, also looked at the deep, dark darkness of the sky in amazement. Three of these children will lose their sight in the coming years, making the experience even more important for Lemay and Pelletier, who plan to travel next year to offer children as many visually rich experiences as they can. “I want their heads to be full of beautiful landscapes that they can remember for years from now,” he said. Mia, 11, Colin, six, and Laurent, four, were recently diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a rare degenerative disorder in which retinal cells are gradually destroyed. The first stop on the family’s world tour was Namibia. Photo: Family photo Vision loss is expected to accelerate in the coming years, leaving them likely with only a narrow bar of vision in their 30s or 40s. “There is no cure,” Lemay said. “So this is a waiting game and there is nothing we can do.” Although neither parent has blindness in their immediate family, both are carriers of a residual genetic mutation that is responsible for retinitis pigmentosa. Lemay and Pelletier’s eldest daughter, Mia, was diagnosed with the disorder as she had difficulty seeing objects at night, a hallmark. Colin and Laurent also had trouble seeing objects at night as babies, but Leo has not been tested because he has no vision problems. Meeting with a pelican. Photo: Family photo As the news spread that three of their children would be blinded, the family initially tried to get Mia to learn Braille. But ironically, her vision at that time was very strong. However, knowing that her eyesight would worsen, a school expert suggested that the children be immersed in rich, detailed scenes. “He said to show them giraffes and elephants. “He meant books, but did we understand why not just see the truth?” said Lemey. “We have traveled with them in the past and they are wonderful on the road.” Lemay, who works as a project manager, and Pelletier, who works in finance, once dreamed of such a trip and made savings for years to make it happen. The family flew from Montreal, Quebec, almost two weeks ago, after their initial plans for a world trip were delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Already, they have camped in the desert, covered themselves with sand and spotted cape fur seals sunbathing on the Atlantic coast. After Namibia, they plan to travel the 1,100-mile Tazara Railway from Zambia to Tanzania, where they will finally have the opportunity to see the large prey that most North American children see only in books. If geopolitical tensions subside, they could be in Turkey and then in Mongolia by the end of the summer. Lemay says she has taken as many photos as possible to ensure that even when her children have lost most of their sight, they will still have something to look back on. “Maybe they will be able to see the photos and the photos will bring back these stories, these memories, of the family together.” “Maybe they will be able to see the photos and the photos will bring back these stories, these memories, of the family together.” Photo: Family photo The journey, like any invasion of a new place, also proved exhausting, as the parents juggled the cuisine, planning with the reality of educating four children at home on the street. Lemay and Pelletier record their travels and occasional frustrations on their page Le monde plein leurs yeux. Despite the frictional moments caused by hunger, fatigue or the realities that combine four energetic young women, Lemay says her journey has already left the memories she had hoped for. Earlier in the day, as they drove along the west coast of sub-Saharan Africa, the family stopped to visit a famous shipwreck. “They just asked to dip their fingers in the ocean,” Lemay said. “But with children, it’s never just the toes. Five minutes later it is wet and soon there is sand and water in the car. “But they are so excited.”
