American couple Jareem and Jonesti, who both lost their sight due to separate violent attacks, have defied the odds to raise their four-month-old baby boy, Anthony.

In an interview with Truly, which is known for sharing incredible life stories on YouTube, Jareem said he lost his sight two days before his 19th birthday.

“Two days before my 19th birthday, I was attacked. Instead of taking my life, he took my sight,” he said.

Jonesti also suffered a similar attack at the age of 20, which left her visually impaired. The couple met at a training centre for visually impaired individuals, where they developed a relationship that led to the birth of their son.

“I was terrified of the fear of the unknown,” Jonesti said. “I was like, what did I do? He [Jareem] didn’t have any fear or concerns about being a parent. I definitely did. What if we’re not good enough? What if we fail him as parents because we do have a disability?” she questioned.

American couple Jareem and Jonesti during an interview with Truly

Jonesti shared that her greatest challenge during the early stages of motherhood was changing her newborn’s nappies. A challenge she has managed to conquer.

With the use of technology, such as descriptive apps, the couple has managed to carry out daily tasks like preparing meals and getting around the house.

Jareem’s eldest daughter, Aloni, also helps her stepmother in choosing outfits for her brother.

The couple, however, revealed that friends and family initially raised concerns about their ability to raise a child due to their disabilities.

“Friends and family expressed concerns and doubts— ‘How are you going to raise the baby?’ And I’m like, the same way anybody else does it. I didn’t even know how to respond to the questions,” Jonesti shared.

Jonesti’s mother admitted that her biggest concern was how they would look after the baby if they couldn’t see. However, after observing her daughter nursing and changing nappies, her concerns have since been put to rest.

“Get to know how they do it, because there is a method to the madness. They have a system in place and they do it very well,” she said.

“Don’t be quick to judge a book by the cover when you’ve never read a page of it,” Jareem added, in response to negative comments on social media questioning their ability to parent while blind.