Seeing Clear Through Storms: Carl Arredondo’s remarkable journey

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — For nearly three decades, Carl Arredondo was a familiar face in New Orleans. He was a steady voice forecasting everything from hurricanes to sunny skies.

Before moving to New Orleans, he worked at The Weather Channel.

“We covered the nation. So, that was exciting to me and something new and different. We were on cable. So, everybody could see from home and enjoyed watching from San Antonio,” remembers Arredondo.

However, behind the camera, Arredondo was quietly facing a storm of his own. He had a rare degenerative eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa, which was slowly stealing his sight. In 2019, he retired from television in a heartbreaking decision; it wasn’t the end of his story.

“I was stumbling on things and bumping into walls, when I shouldn’t have been. In 2018, I started taking white cane training. I was getting ready and preparing for the future of my life,” explains Arredondo.

He eventually found strength not just in his perseverance and bravery facing the unthinkable, but also, he found physical strength, working out.

Arredondo would eventually find a love for CrossFit. CrossFit isn’t for the weak, although it is for everyone. It’s a high-intensity workout program that combines weightlifting, calisthenics, running and other elements. Arredondo wouldn’t stop there. He would eventually become a CrossFit coach.

He helps others push past their own limits and advocates for people who are blind and have low vision. He challenges stereotypes and advocates for people who are blind and low vision, like himself. His mantra is that disability doesn’t mean inability.

From weather storms to weathering storms, Arredondo’s legacy isn’t just about what he saw on the radar. His legacy is about what he continues to see with his heart and purpose. When asked about his journey through life so far, Arredondo says, “I love CrossFit NOLA because they gave me a chance. For someone with a disability all we ask for is a chance to prove we can do a job.”

To learn more about CrossFit NOLA and Arredondo, visit the CrossFit website.

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