Ohio girl losing sight set to visit Rome, meet Pope Francis as part of 'visual bucket list'

MANSFIELD, Ohio (AP) — A 5-old-old Ohio girl whose parents created a "visual bucket list" for her because she's slowly going blind is going to meet Pope Francis.


Steve Myers told the Mansfield News Journal  on Thursday that his daughter Elizabeth "Lizzy" Myers is visiting the Vatican next week.

The newspaper said the family has already been to Disney World, Galveston, Texas, the Smoky Mountains and Lizzy's favorite local spot, the Warren Rupp Observatory at Hidden Hollow.

"She watched the meteor shower this fall and even saw seven shooting stars," her father said.

The general manager of Turkish Airlines was touched last year by Lizzy's story as well as her parents' wish that she see many amazing things before a rare genetic condition robs her of her sight. Lizzy's parents haven't told their daughter about her diagnosis.

Round-trip tickets were offered to anywhere in the world, and the Bellville family chose Rome — one of the most visually interesting places they could think of, given the family's Italian Catholic background and the city's artwork and statuary.