HOST: When the StoryCorps mobile booth passed through Dallas, Jarie Bradley sat down with her aunt, Menaja Obinali… And got to hear about a moment in her life that they’d rarely discussed…
Menaja Obinali (MO) and Jarie Bradley (JB):
MO: When I was 17, I woke up on fire. I don’t know what started it. But, it was in my bedroom. And they had not expected me to live because of my head being burned so badly.
JB: When you lost your vision–tell me about that.
MO: One morning, when I woke up I was totally blind. I told the doctor I can’t see, and I don’t think they really believed me. They thought that I had what they call hysterical blindness. That I had had a bad response to seeing myself because I have a lot of skin grafting on my face.
But, you know, I have never been sorry that I’m blind. I used to like to paint. So, you know, I would love to see, so I could paint…
JB: [laughs]
MO: And so I could read more books. But, I think I get to know people on a different level.
JB: I remember when my mom told me, ‘Your aunt Menaja’s going to come and live with us.’
MO: You were about 5 years old… And I remember teaching you to read. I was babysitting with you. And if I had something I wanted to read, I gave you a book so you could learn how to read it.
JB: My mom, she would come home from work and we would be at the table having tea, and having very adult conversation. Like… [laughs]
MO: Mmhmm.
JB: When you moved out, I would come to see you weekly.
MO: Mmhmm. Mmhmm.
JB: My friends, they would be like, ‘What are y’all doing over there?’
MO: Yeah, who wants to go see an old stodgy aunt?
MO & JB: [laugh]
JB: And I remember you telling me very early on in life about the dangers of being a liar. And to be very intentional about what comes out of my mouth, and it still helps me today.
MO: You’re honest with people. And you ask a lot of questions.
JB: [laughs]
MO: No, I like that about you, actually, because people don’t ask things. They say things loud enough for you to hear.
MO: ‘What happened to her?’ ‘What’s wrong with her face?’ But you can’t allow what people do to dictate how you’re going to feel, else you’ll be feeling bad all the time.
JB: You know, you are seriously fearless. I feel like I’ve never seen you question who you are or why God made you a certain way. And that’s rare. That’s rare.
HOST: That’s Jarie Bradley with her aunt, Menaja Obinali, for StoryCorps. They remain close… and still make time to get together for tea.
Their interview is archived in the Library of Congress.
