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At the height of his addiction, Ray Clements would consumetwo to fourlitres of vodkadaily and turned to cocaine simply to keep drinking. It wasn't until he was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition that robbed him of his sight that the Liverpudlian decided to transform his life.

Now, the 53-year-old has won multiple medals for Great Britain as a blind baseball player and is the only Englishman in the sport's history to hit a home run. He said: "Losing my sight has saved my life. I see more clearly now than I ever have without sight".

"It's something I'm not in control of. What I am in control of is stayingclean and sober."

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Instead of centring his life around alcohol and drugs, Ray has embraced numerous hobbies and is launching a sight loss charity called Finding the Solution, aiming to bring goalball, a sport designed for visually impaired players, into mainstream schools.

Since getting sober and clean in February 2022, Ray has supported 15 people through their own sobriety journeys, which also helps keep him on track. He also has a new companion in his life with his guide dog Garson, who he credits with keeping him going.

Ray's health journey began on the morning of his 49th birthday when he awoke with vision that was "really, really bad". Dismissing it initially, he proceeded with plans to celebrate with his brothers and friends.

However, his older brother, who had previously been diagnosed with Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) - a condition causing sudden vision loss - insisted Ray should get help.

Taking his brother's advice seriously, Ray visited Specsavers where staff identified a tear in his eye, leaving him "absolutely chuffed" that it appeared to be nothing serious. Nevertheless, he was referred to Aintree Eye Hospital for further examination, which initially revealed no issues.

Speaking to PA Real Life, he explained: "So I said to them, 'You're going to have to check for Leber's, because it's in the family'. They weren't 100% sure about Leber's, it is quite a rare condition. So they went away and they checked for that, they said we'll do a test, we have to send samples away to Newcastle or somewhere."

During the wait for test results, Ray invited a friend round, describing their bond as a "drinking career". However, on this occasion Ray was "absolutely KO, bladdered, drunk as a skunk" when his companion disclosed he was now in recovery and attending support meetings.

Ray remembered: "I was like, 'that's not really for me', and he said: 'Look, if you ever want to go, just let me know'. And he left it at that... I tossed and turned over the idea of ringing him, but I just couldn't build up the courage."

Ray took several weeks before reaching out to his mate, who wasted no time taking him to his first meeting. It felt right, and Ray stopped drinking. He managed 62 days of sobriety before doctors delivered the devastating news - a formal LHON diagnosis that left him registered as blind.

He remembered: "I phoned a few people and said I was OK, and then I went away and drank. And I had no choice. I didn't understand it."

The turning point came when Ray woke up beside a glass of vodka and knew things had to change permanently. At his next meeting, he owned up to the relapse and found a sponsor to confide in about his condition.

"He said: 'Oh, we can work with that'. And he removed every excuse with that one sentence. Since that day, since February 17 2022, I haven't picked up a drink nor drugs."

Life as a registered blind person has brought its share of obstacles. During daylight hours, he can distinguish shapes, but darkness leaves him seeing only lights. His guide dog Garson, a Labradoodle, has become essential for getting through the hardest moments.

He confessed: "There's days when I wake up and I don't want to do anything, and the illness in the back of my mind is all over me, saying you're worthless, all that stuff, beating you up. And then Garson will walk in, and put his nose on the bed next to me, and wag his tail, and look at me, and I'm like: 'You want to go out, don't you?' And I have to get up.

"There have been many days where I've been walking around the local park, just being like: 'Do you know what lad, thank you so, so much. Without you, I wouldn't be here'."

As he nears his four-year sobriety anniversary, Ray says he would "give my left arm to be clean and sober for five years". He is now looking forward to a future of sobriety with Garson by his side.

Guide Dogs is urging people to volunteer to help forge more transformative partnerships like the one between Ray and Garson. More information can be found at guidedogs.org.uk/volunteering