Love Island's first-ever partially sighted contestant Ron Hall opened up about the tragic football injury that left him blind in one eye to Lana Jenkins.
The couple has already captured the hearts of viewers and are fan-favourites to win the show just two days into the series. On Tuesday night's episode, many fans were concerned that bombshell Tom Clare would steal Lana away from Ron after their sweet moment as he confessed he 'loves' blondes.
However, the footballer coupled up with ring girl Olivia Hawkins leaving farmer Will Young single and at risk of being dumped at the end of the week. The financial adviser from Essex opened up about his injury, and many operations which has left him blind in one eye.
Ron lost his sight in one eye while playing football aged eight. He missed year six of school after he was kicked in the face and knocked unconscious while going for a header - although he still went back on the pitch and continued with the match, despite being unable to see.
Opening up to partner Lana, he said: "Obviously not a sob story so don't give me any sympathy. I'm actually blind in one eye."
He continues: "Nothing bad or anything. It was football. I was eight, I think eight/nine. I was in football, I went down and the ball came over.
"I went down to head the ball, he cut me with his foot and sort of knocked me out and it detached my retina. I had loads of operations as a kid trying to fix it but after I don't know how many - five or six - they basically said 'You know, you're not going to get the sight back in it'."
Fans absolutely loved the tender moment of Ron opening up to Lana, and took to Twitter to gush over the couple. One said: "I now it’s early days but Ron and Lana have my heart."
"Ron and lana have alot of potential more then the rest at the mo always that 1 couple from the beginning if neither turn heads they could go along way let's see," wrote another. A third agreed: "i feel like the only couple i’m feeling as of now is lana and ron #LoveIsland."
Another wrote: "thank god whatever his name is didn’t pick lana. i acc love her with ron. #loveisland," while someone else tweeted: "Really want Lana and Ron to stay as a couple #LoveIsland"
Speaking ahead of entering the villa, he said: "I just think of myself as normal, although yeah I am disabled and I don’t mind the label. If I can bring awareness and be vocal about it, then fantastic.
"If there’s someone sitting at home, there’s another lad or girl who’s partially sighted or feels a bit insecure about something to do with their vision, whether it’s blind in one eye, or whatever the situation is, and I can make an impact on them to say, ‘You know what, this guy is confident and he’s gone on this show and he’s still talking to girls with no problem even though he’s got “something wrong with him”‘ then yeah, that’s fantastic if I can do that."
Love Island returns tomorrow at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.
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