Steve Welker hasn't always been blind. And most people have never been blind. So most people can't fully understand Steve-but Steve Welker can understand us. That's what this inspiring book is all about; it's about a tragedy that has been turned into a triumph of spirit in a world so many of us simply take for granted-but that Steve Welker cannot. It all begins on a happy note, with Steve and his wife, Kristi, joyfully anticipating the culmination of the adventure of creating a family for themselves-in a most unusual way! Pioneers in a movement that has more recently become a not-so-uncommon phenomenon, the Welkers were one of the first couples to undertake surrogate pregnancy through in vitro fertilization, which involves placing laboratory-fertilized eggs into the womb of a surrogate mother. Coincidentally, their effort-and its wonderful outcomes-gained them national attention when Leeza Gibbons presented them on her network television talk show, not once, but several times, both before and after the accident that took Steve's eyesight. Typical of their positive outlook on life, the Welkers were blazing new trails even though the dangers were apparent and the potential for disappointment amazingly high. And it was all working-until April 30, 1994. Then, in a matter of seconds, everything changed! In one seemingly senseless, unfathomable moment of disastrous coincidence-just days before the birth of their twin boys-both Steve and Kristi were severely injured in a car crash. The World at My Fingertips tells their story in a truly nourishing, inspiring way, driven from within by an indomitable spirit (Steve's) coupled with an iron will (Kristi's) and a love that transcends every appearance of negative reality, no matter how dark and foreboding it might seem. The World at My Fingertips traces the long and arduous path followed by the Welker family as they recover-ever so slowly-and move forward in a life forever altered and endlessly challenging but firmly grounded in a strong spirituality and a positive value system, destined to reveal growth in every new moment, gratitude in every detail of life, and hope by example for anyone who faces life-threatening or life-altering challenges. ADVANCE PRAISE FOR THE WORLD AT MY FINGERTIPS "I always consider it a blessing when someone allows their story to find its way to the public through me. But, Steve and Kristi Welker did more than bless us with their story. They softened hearts and healed souls. They educated and empowered. They offered a quiet example of selflessness and hard-fought-for love that has sustained them." - Leeza Gibbons From the Foreword