Legally blind boy sees mom clearly for the first time

(WTXF) - A young boy who has been legally blind since birth saw his mom clearly for the very first time.

"Oh, mommy, there you are!" 12-year-old Christopher Ward Jr. said to his mother, Marquita Hackley, after putting on a pair of $15,000 eSight electronic glasses.

The glasses records video live, and then displays it on an LED screen in front of the user's eyes, according to the Huffington Post.

Hackley wiped tears from her eyes during the heartwarming moment.

"And then to hear him say, 'I saw my mom, and she was very pretty,' was so heartwarming," Hackley told ABC News. "And aside from pretty, just the fact he could even see me mean the whole world to me."

Christopher was born with optic nerve hypoplasia, which means that he can only see objects from a close distance.

His vision tutor told Hackley about the eSight glasses, and they traveled to Washington, D.C. for a trial demonstration.

"As a mother going 12 years with your child not being able to clearly see, I don't really have words for it," she told the New York Daily News.

Christopher even got the treat of watching his favorite TV show, Spongebob Squarepants.

However, Hackley could not afford the glasses.

So she set up a fundraising page. After the segment on their trip aired on Thursday, it quickly surpassed its initial $15,000 goal. Now, the total stands just north of $25,000.

Hackley plans to order a pair of glasses for her son as soon as possible with the rest of the money going into a trust fund so he can eventually go to college.

"I want to say thank you a million times to each and everyone of you that have donated," Hackley posted on the crowdfunding page. "Each of you have helped us shatter the goal! Thank you again and God Bless!"