David Gates is a 46-year-old contractor. He has been blind since the age of 22. He owns two old-fashioned general stores in the town of Dillsboro, North Carolina.  Gates is now putting the finishing touches on a house next to his store in downtown Dillsboro.  He is married and has two stepchildren and one daughter. His key to success is his kind nature and his ability to work with difficult people. “This one guy came in one day and I thought he was rude, turns out he was the president of J.C. Penny,” said David.  His first job was making hammocks for J.C. Penny.

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