In Episode 18 of What a Stranger Told Me, Jon meets Richard at the Gympie Music Muster — a man who is laughing, drinking, dancing, and living louder than most sighted people, all while being almost completely blind.

Listen in to hear what it's like to be living life blind. Fifteen years ago Richard was in a tiny tinny off Western Port Bay, Victoria. The boat capsized in freezing winter water. His mate swam to shore; Richard couldn’t swim. For seven hours he clung to the outboard motor in hypothermia, letting go only when rescuers arrived. He woke up in hospital alive… but the extreme stress triggered advanced retinitis pigmentosa and he lost almost all vision within days.

Ready for some stranger stories? Personal stories of love, resilience & daring unfold in this loveable podcast, as story-collectors Tim Reid & Jon Coghill wander the streets of Australia, microphone in hand, chatting to strangers. 

It's conversations... with everyday people.

 

 

What could have broken most people became Richard’s turning point. After a short season of depression he got pus shed into cane training (which he hated), then a guide dog (which changed everything). Now he and his dog are inseparable legends at the Muster. The dog walks him from swag to bar to stage and back at 2 a.m., finds empty chairs, and attracts instant friends who happily buy the next round. Richard’s rule for getting lost: “Stop walking, stand still, and someone always comes.” It works every time. 

He’s brutally honest about the scary moments — being lost twice this weekend, the terror of not knowing which way is “out” — but refuses to let fear win. “I’m having a ball,” he repeats, and you believe him. The guide dog gives him freedom most sighted festival-goers envy: no queues, instant conversations, and a four-legged mate who never judges.

This is living life blind at full volume: zero self-pity, maximum adventure, and proof that the human spirit plus one very good dog can turn the worst day of your life into the best years.

 

Chapters
00:00 – Laughing Blind Man at Gympie Muster
01:10 – The Day the Tinny Capsized
02:30 – Seven Freezing Hours Clinging to an Outboard Motor
04:20 – Waking Up Blind in Hospital
06:00 – From Depression to “You’re Getting a Guide Dog”
08:10 – First Embarrassing Cane Walks in Strange Suburbs
10:30 – How the Guide Dog Changed Everything
12:00 – Getting Happily Lost (and Found) at the Muster
13:20 – “I’m Having a Ball” – Final Beers and Wisdom

 

Key Learnings
Hypothermia + stress can accelerate sudden vision loss
The #1 rule when blind and lost: stop moving and ask for help
Guide dogs don’t just guide — they create instant community
Depression after sight loss is normal — action (cane → dog) beats despair
Living life blind can be louder and happier than living it sighted

 

 

🎙️ Want more, Stranger?

Like the idea of story-collectors Tim Reid & Jon Coghill chatting to attendees at your next conference or event? Or maybe you'd like them to chat to strangers in your part of the world. Hit them up here.

📸  Join us behind-the-scenes

Follow the What a StrangerTold Me podcast madness on Instagram.

☎️  Got a story you'd love to share?

Call us +61 489 272 286. You've got a whopping 10-minutes, so sit back, take a big breath and go for gold.

👽  Don’t be a stranger

Got some feedback? Bring it on. Just be gentle. One of us has thin skin ;)

🤩  Who’s behind all this strangeness?

Made & Hosted by Tim Reid & Jon Coghill
Music Supervision by Dennis Feletto
Photography by Will Reid & Andy McColl

In Episode 18 of What a Stranger Told Me, Jon meets Richard at the Gympie Music Muster &mdash; a man who is laughing, drinking, dancing, and living louder than most sighted people, all while being almost completely blind.
Listen in to hear what it's like to be living life blind. Fifteen years ago Richard was in a tiny tinny off Western Port Bay, Victoria. The boat capsized in freezing winter water. His mate swam to shore; Richard couldn&rsquo;t swim. For seven hours he clung to the outboard motor in hypothermia, letting go only when rescuers arrived. He woke up in hospital alive&hellip; but the extreme stress triggered advanced retinitis pigmentosa and he lost almost all vision within days.
Ready for some stranger stories? Personal stories of love, resilience &amp; daring unfold in this loveable podcast, as story-collectors&nbsp;<a href="https://whatastrangertoldme.com/about/">Tim Reid &amp; Jon Coghill</a> wander the streets of Australia, microphone in hand, chatting to strangers.&nbsp;
It's conversations... with everyday people.
&nbsp;
<hr>
&nbsp;
What could have broken most people became Richard&rsquo;s turning point. After a short season of depression he got pus shed into cane training (which he hated), then a guide dog (which changed everything). Now he and his dog are inseparable legends at the Muster. The dog walks him from swag to bar to stage and back at 2 a.m., finds empty chairs, and attracts instant friends who happily buy the next round. Richard&rsquo;s rule for getting lost: &ldquo;Stop walking, stand still, and someone always comes.&rdquo; It works every time.&nbsp;
He&rsquo;s brutally honest about the scary moments &mdash; being lost twice this weekend, the terror of not knowing which way is &ldquo;out&rdquo; &mdash; but refuses to let fear win. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m having a ball,&rdquo; he repeats, and you believe him. The guide dog gives him freedom most sighted festival-goers envy: no queues, instant conversations, and a four-legged mate who never judges.
This is living life blind at full volume: zero self-pity, maximum adventure, and proof that the human spirit plus one very good dog can turn the worst day of your life into the best years.
&nbsp;
Chapters
<ul dir="ltr">
<li>00:00 &ndash; Laughing Blind Man at Gympie Muster</li>
<li>01:10 &ndash; The Day the Tinny Capsized</li>
<li>02:30 &ndash; Seven Freezing Hours Clinging to an Outboard Motor</li>
<li>04:20 &ndash; Waking Up Blind in Hospital</li>
<li>06:00 &ndash; From Depression to &ldquo;You&rsquo;re Getting a Guide Dog&rdquo;</li>
<li>08:10 &ndash; First Embarrassing Cane Walks in Strange Suburbs</li>
<li>10:30 &ndash; How the Guide Dog Changed Everything</li>
<li>12:00 &ndash; Getting Happily Lost (and Found) at the Muster</li>
<li>13:20 &ndash; &ldquo;I&rsquo;m Having a Ball&rdquo; &ndash; Final Beers and Wisdom</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Key Learnings
<ol dir="ltr">
<li>Hypothermia + stress can accelerate sudden vision loss</li>
<li>The #1 rule when blind and lost: stop moving and ask for help</li>
<li>Guide dogs don&rsquo;t just guide &mdash; they create instant community</li>
<li>Depression after sight loss is normal &mdash; action (cane &rarr; dog) beats despair</li>
<li>Living life blind can be louder and happier than living it sighted</li>
</ol>
&nbsp;
<hr>
&nbsp;
🎙️&nbsp;Want more, Stranger?
Like the idea of story-collectors Tim Reid &amp; Jon Coghill chatting to attendees at your next conference or event? Or maybe you'd like them to chat to strangers in your part of the world. Hit them up <a href="https://whatastrangertoldme.com/contact/">here</a>.
📸&nbsp; Join us behind-the-scenes
Follow the What a StrangerTold Me podcast madness on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/whatastrangertoldme">Instagram</a>.
☎️&nbsp; Got a story you'd love to share?
Call us +61 489 272 286. You've got a whopping 10-minutes, so sit back, take a big breath and go for gold.
👽&nbsp; Don&rsquo;t be a stranger
Got some feedback? <a href="https://whatastrangertoldme.com/contact/">Bring it on</a>. Just be gentle. One of us has thin skin ;)
🤩&nbsp; Who&rsquo;s behind all this strangeness?
Made &amp; Hosted by Tim Reid &amp; Jon Coghill Music Supervision by Dennis Feletto Photography by Will Reid &amp; Andy McColl

Storytelling meets human connection in this intriguing Australian podcast. Hosts Jon Coghill (Powderfinger) and Tim Reid (award-winning podcaster) travel around chatting with strangers of all ages & backgrounds - uncovering their raw, unique, and very personal stories. Take a break from the everyday, and dive into lives of people you’d never otherwise meet.

And if you’ve got a story you’d love the world to hear, then call us on +61 489 272 286.

Or maybe you'd like us to chat to strangers in your town, or maybe you’ve got a conference you’d like us to podcast from, then contact us at What a Stranger Told Me.

Credits ...

Made & Hosted by Tim Reid & Jon Coghill

Music Supervision by Dennis Feletto

Photography by Andy McColl & Will Reid

 

Storytelling meets human connection in this intriguing Australian podcast. Hosts Jon Coghill (Powderfinger) and Tim Reid (award-winning podcaster) travel around chatting with strangers of all ages &amp; backgrounds - uncovering their raw, unique, and very personal stories. Take a break from the everyday, and dive into lives of people you&rsquo;d never otherwise meet.
And if you&rsquo;ve got a story you&rsquo;d love the world to hear, then call us on +61 489 272 286.
Or maybe you'd like us to chat to strangers in your town, or maybe you&rsquo;ve got a conference you&rsquo;d like us to podcast from, then contact us at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.whatastrangertoldme.com">What a Stranger Told Me</a>.
Credits ...
Made &amp; Hosted by Tim Reid &amp; Jon Coghill
Music Supervision by Dennis Feletto
Photography by Andy McColl &amp; Will Reid
&nbsp;

Storytelling meets human connection in this intriguing Australian podcast. Hosts Jon Coghill (Powderfinger) and Tim Reid (award-winning podcaster) travel around chatting with strangers of all ages & backgrounds - uncovering their raw, unique, and very personal stories. Take a break from the everyday, and dive into lives of people you’d never otherwise meet.

What a Stranger Told Me

Storytelling meets human connection in this intriguing Australian podcast. Hosts Jon Coghill (Powderfinger) and Tim Reid (award-winning podcaster) travel around chatting with strangers of all ages & backgrounds - uncovering their raw, unique, and very personal stories. Take a break from the everyday, and dive into lives of people you’d never otherwise meet.

Take a break from the everyday, and dive into the lives of people you’d never otherwise meet.

And if you’ve got a story you’d love the world to hear, then call us on +61 489 272 286.

Or maybe you'd like us to chat to strangers in your town, or maybe you’ve got a conference you’d like us to podcast from, then contact us at What a Stranger Told Me.

Credits ...

Made & Hosted by Tim Reid & Jon Coghill

Music Supervision by Denis Feletto

Photography by Andy McColl & Will Reid

Storytelling meets human connection in this intriguing Australian podcast. Hosts Jon Coghill (Powderfinger) and Tim Reid (award-winning podcaster) travel around chatting with strangers of all ages &amp; backgrounds - uncovering their raw, unique, and very personal stories. Take a break from the everyday, and dive into lives of people you&rsquo;d never otherwise meet.
Take a break from the everyday, and dive into the lives of people you&rsquo;d never otherwise meet.
And if you&rsquo;ve got a story you&rsquo;d love the world to hear, then call us on +61 489 272 286.
Or maybe you'd like us to chat to strangers in your town, or maybe you&rsquo;ve got a conference you&rsquo;d like us to podcast from, then contact us at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.whatastrangertoldme.com">What a Stranger Told Me</a>.
Credits ...
Made &amp; Hosted by Tim Reid &amp; Jon Coghill
Music Supervision by Denis Feletto
Photography by Andy McColl &amp; Will Reid

Ever wondered how blind people live. This fellow lost his eye-sight in an accident and is now living life blind at full volume. The What a Stranger Told Me Podcast with Tim Reid & Jon Coghill.