Riley Spindler Balances Music, Athletics and Blindness with Determination

by Trinity Gruenberg

trinity@inhnews.com

Riley Spindler, 16, doesn’t let blindness define his life. A junior at Minnewaska Area High School, he is the son of Arin Stoterau (formerly of Eagle Bend) and Jared Spindler of Glenwood, and the older brother to six-year-old twin brothers, Hayden and Jonah. He manages a full schedule of music, athletics, and family time, navigating the world he cannot see with determination, independence, and a unique approach to life.

Diagnosed with Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA) at just six months old, LCA is a rare genetic eye disease that causes severe vision loss from infancy. It affects the retina’s light-detecting cells (photoreceptors) and often leads to profound visual impairment or blindness by one year old.

Riley explained, “The doctors said my eyes were completely healthy, but my mom insisted there was something wrong because of my behavior.”

After a visit to specialists in Minneapolis, the diagnosis was confirmed, and Riley’s family chose to tackle everything head-on.

Music became an early outlet for him. He learned to play the piano by ear since Braille music is written in a different code than regular Braille and it is hard to read.

Riley credits much of his growth to dedicated practice and creative teaching. He practices for hours every night...

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