The Blind Mechanic

The Amazing Story of Eric Davidson, Survivor of the 1917 Halifax Explosion

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Pub Date 28 Aug 2018 | Archive Date 12 Jan 2019

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Description

Eric Davidson lost both eyes in the Halifax Explosion when he was two years old. Against all odds, he taught himself to become an auto mechanic and had a successful decades-long career as "one of the boys."

Eric Davidson was a beautiful, fair-haired toddler when the Halifax Explosion struck, killing almost 2,000 people and seriously injuring thousands of others. Eric lost both eyes—a tragedy that his mother never fully recovered from. Eric, however, was positive and energetic. He also developed a fascination with cars and how they worked, and he later decided, against all likelihood, to become a mechanic. Assisted by his brothers who read to him from manuals, he worked hard, passed examinations, and carved out a decades-long career. Once the subject of a National Film Board documentary, Eric Davidson was, until his death, a much-admired figure in Halifax.

This book does not gloss over the challenges faced by Eric and by his parents. Written by his daughter Marilyn, it gives new insights into the story of the 1917 Halifax Explosion and contains never-before-seen documents and photographs. While Eric Davidson has been mentioned in previous Explosion accounts, his story has never been told in such fascinating detail. Davidson overcame such odds that his life story might not seem believable if it had not happened.

Eric Davidson lost both eyes in the Halifax Explosion when he was two years old. Against all odds, he taught himself to become an auto mechanic and had a successful decades-long career as "one of the...


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Featured Reviews

This book is inspiring and educational. It is a loving account of the author's father's achievements as a blind man who never let his blindness embitter him or stop him from achieving his goals. It is also a history of the Halifax explosion, which is a part of the history of WWI but often not mentioned because it occurred in Canada and injured civilians. I think that my older gifted students would enjoy this book. I highly recommend it.

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The remarkable story of a remarkable man. Eric Davidson was blinded in the horrific Halifax Explosion of 1917 when he was just two years old. As he grew older he became fascinated by cars and in spite of his disability overcame the considerable odds to become a qualified and skilled car mechanic. It truly is a fascinating story, ably told here by his daughter Marilyn. Fascinating reading.

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