Reporting by Jeanne Muchnick, Rockland/Westchester Journal News
An Ardsley resident is behind “Blind AF,” a new documentary that follows blind Paralympian, Army veteran and multiple world-record holder Shawn Cheshire on her historic attempt to ride a single, non-tandem bicycle across America, 3,600 miles in 60 straight days, completely blind.
Directed by Westchester filmmaker Gina LeVay Goldstein, the movie’s journey serves as the backdrop for a deeper story about trauma, healing, independence and the extraordinary resilience of the human spirit.
This is the first feature length documentary LeVay Goldstein has been behind. The 20-year film veteran normally does a mix of short form docs along with more branded, commercial content, live and experiential work.
She told The Journal News/lohud she first met Cheshire while on assignment for ESPN in 2015 and was struck by her story.
“Here she was, a single mother of two young children who had suddenly lost her sight and was trying to navigate an entirely new reality,” she said. “As a new mother myself, her story stayed with me.”
What ultimately drew her to make the movie was Cheshire’s “extraordinary resilience, vulnerability and determination to turn trauma into purpose and joy.”
“The more time I spent with her, the more I saw the profound effect she has on people from all walks of life. I felt compelled to share her story not only with the disability and trauma-survivor communities, but with a broader audience — to offer a window into Shawn’s world and, hopefully, encourage people to think differently about disability, trauma, inclusion and the roles we can play as either allies or obstacles in someone else’s journey,” she said.
The extraordinary story of the athlete featured in ‘Blind AF’
Cheshire’s life changed dramatically in 2009 when, at 36, she suffered a brain injury that left her without sight. The Army veteran, who had a career as a paramedic, spiraled into a debilitating depression, eventually seeking treatment at a VA hospital, where a combination of adaptive sports and treatment for Complex PTSD helped her begin rebuilding her life.
Within years, she was competing at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio. She went on to become a 13-time U.S. National Champion in paracycling and set a world record as the first blind person to cross the Grand Canyon without a sighted guide.
Drawing on her personal reflections as well as interviews with friends, doctors, trainers and family, the film reveals the experiences that shaped her and the painful memories she was finally forced to confront.
“From the beginning, Shawn and I worked together to create an authentic narrative true to her life and experiences,” LeVay Goldstein said. “This film goes beyond the epic athletic achievement; it’s a story about healing, transformation, and the power of vulnerability.”
For Cheshire, the cross-country journey became a defiant and life-affirming declaration of independence, a refusal to allow blindness, trauma, fear or other people’s expectations to define what her life could be.
Executive produced by five-time Emmy winner Jeff ZImbalist (Harlan Coben’s “Final Twist”), the film had its world premiere at Geena Davis’s Bentonville Film Festival and went on to win Best of Fest at the 2025 Sedona International Film Festival.
The film streams on Amazon Prime, AppleTV, Tubi, and Documentary+ starting Oct. 28.
Jeanne Muchnick covers food and dining. Click here for her most recent articles and follow her latest dining adventures on Instagram @jeannemuchnick or via the lohudfood newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News.
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