Local business collaborates with legally blind model to create children’s book

Legally blind model Samantha Rose Mackay (18 years old) from the Central Coast, NSW has inspired a children’s fairy tale.

The Wilde Collaborative has written ‘Samantha & The Pegasus’, a metaphor for Sam chasing her dreams and inspiring individuals with disabilities and differences to chase theirs too. The creation of ‘Samantha & The Pegasus’ saw 11 women join together to celebrate diversity and bring a children’s book to fruition. The Wilde Collaborative modelling agency was founded to highlight people with unique journeys.

Sam says “What I love the most about these gorgeous people is – they get me! They accept my flaws and work with me, empowering me to be my best where others have overlooked me. 

“When I was a baby (15 months old) I contracted a nasty form of bacterial meningitis, even though I had been immunised against it. It caused a severe brain injury which I wasn’t expected to recover from and left me legally blind and with some physical limitations.

“I want to pursue my passion for modelling to encourage people to look past a person’s differences. To encourage other people with disabilities to follow their dreams.”

This project is particularly unique as it has used structural props and photographs to create the imagery throughout the book. It has tried to remain as realistic as possible with only a sparse use of Photoshop.

The Wilde Collaborative is currently running a presale campaign via Kickstarter to help fund the first print. You can support ‘Samantha & The Pegasus’ at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thepegasus/samantha-and-the-pegasus-a-childrens-book?ref=project_build