Teen's visual wish list before blindness: Taylor Swift, Eiffel Tower & more

A 13-year-old girl from Essex is on a poignant mission to create a lifetime of visual memories after being diagnosed with a rare genetic condition that will eventually steal her eyesight.

Facing Usher Syndrome with Courage

Audrey Tyrrell from Harwich was diagnosed with Usher syndrome two years ago, in March 2023. This rare disease, affecting just three to six in every 100,000 people, causes deafness and a degenerative eye condition called retinitis pigmentosa. Audrey has lived with hearing loss since birth, but the prognosis of progressive vision loss has spurred her and her family into action.

Her mother, Tracey, 46, explained the uncertainty they face. "We don't know at what age Audrey will become visually impaired," she said. "From my research, some people with Usher syndrome lose it when they're teenagers and some are in their early 30s. You don't know how much time you have so we thought we'd act now."

Ticking Off the 'Visual Wish List'

Together, they have created a 'visual memories wish list' of experiences and sights Audrey wants to see. The determined teenager estimates it could take 10 to 20 years to complete, but the family is racing against an unknown clock.

Already, Audrey has celebrated some spectacular triumphs. She has seen Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, marvelled at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and explored Legoland. This year alone, she has visited Stonehenge, attended a Coldplay concert—"spectacular," according to Tracey—and made a special trip to Cornwall to eat an authentic Cornish pasty.

Her ambitions stretch across the globe, with dreams of seeing the Statue of Liberty, witnessing the Northern Lights, and visiting Cephalonia in Greece to taste a traditional meat pie. For 2026, she hopes to see Rome's Colosseum and Vatican City.

A Family's Positive Outlook

Tracey, a children and families worker, described the initial diagnosis as "really difficult," coming as it did during Audrey's Year Six SATs. "You grieve for the life you know they won't have," she admitted, recalling earlier fears about whether Audrey would ever hear the sea near their home.

However, the family has chosen a path of positivity. "Since Usher syndrome is progressive vision loss, we didn't want her not to know so we've worked on having a really positive outlook," Tracey said. "The list gives her something positive to focus on."

They found unexpected solace when Emmerdale actors Laura Norton and Mark Jordon spoke publicly about their children's same diagnosis. "It was a comfort... that at the same time as I was going through the grief of Audrey being diagnosed, it was in the mainstream media," Tracey shared.

An award-winning ballroom dancer who also runs cross-country and does ballet, Audrey's spirit continues to amaze her family. "It amazes us with her confidence to go out there and grab life," her proud mum said.

Audrey's Completed Wish List Items Include: