WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) – Graduation is a special time for every student. But for one graduate with his service dog at his side, it’s a day he will never forget.

College can be a challenging experience, but for Donald Barnes the challenges come a different way.

“I was diagnosed when I was age 15, I have an eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa,” Barnes said. “It’s where the retina of the eye slowly deteriorates.”

Barnes chose Purdue because of his passion for the school and the way the school helped him.

“A year before the program, I sat down with the director of IT and disability resource center, and we planned everything out,” said Barnes. “They guaranteed if it doesn’t work, we will make it work. They were very accommodating as far as formatting any material I needed.”

This isn’t Barnes’ first time walking across the stage at Elliott Hall of Music. In 1993, he graduated with a degree in hotel management. But this year, he will have a new friend walking along side him.

Barnes’ dog, Linden, has been with him for the past eight years. While part of the program was online and on weekends, Barnes would be on campus for class. Linden helped him in and around the classroom.

It’s been a rough stretch for Barnes though.

“The first month I had a couple of anxiety attacks. I was like what am I doing? What am I getting into?” Barnes explained. “If you can imagine working 40 hours a week and then doing 20-25 hours of school work.”

Undergrad years were tough for Barnes as his vision slowly deteriorated, but he was happy he made it through his program. His masters on the other hand, he said makes him extremely proud.

“It’s more of an achievement of me doing this on my own and the struggle of doing something that I never thought could happen,” said Barnes. “I don’t feel myself as one of the first do something, just a pioneer, so people who follow me have a pathway for them to be able to follow a little easier.”

Barnes hopes his master’s degree will allow him to move up to a management role at his job for MGM Resorts.

He hopes this paves a way in the future for people with disabilities.

“It’s not impossible just because you have a disability, you can do it if you want to do it,” said Barnes.What others are clicking on: