that's what travis freeman wanted. eam was nearly crushed when he suddenly lost his sight. >> mom, travis. >> i can't so you. >> honey, listen, the doctor explained to us. >> dad? >> i am here. >> travis. explain what? dad? >> you're blind, son. >> with support of his family and his friends, travis fulfilled his dream to play high school football. his story has inspired the new movie. travis free man and the film's director who also plays travis' father is with me now. >> great to be on. >> i want to tell you right off the bat, this film inspired me. i loved it. it's so optimistic and hopeful and a story that -- if you had written this as fiction, nobody would have believed this. >> i think that's true. >> that's exactly right. most people don't believe it and it really did happen. >> i wasn't good enough to play high school football with eyesight. so the fact that you were able to do this after the infection took your sight. first of all, i want to talk about your coach, your hero in life. your mom thought you could be

. >>> a -- travis freeman p wanted to play high school football. enly crushed when he lost his stilgt. >> travis. >> mom? mom? i can't see.v-$ >> honey. listen. the doctor explained to that -- >> dad? >> travis -- >> explain what? with the help his family and his friends travis fulfilled his dream to play high school tofootball. his story inspired the new movie 23 blast. travis free man and the film's director tim baker who also plays travis' father is here now. >> great to have you. >> i want to tell you off the bat this film inspired me. i had a chance to see it and i loved it. it is so optimistic and hopeful and a story, if you written this nobody would have believed this if it was written as fiction. >> i wasn't good enough to play high school football with high sight. so the fact that you were able to do it after this infection took your sight. first of all i want to talk about the coach who i think is a real hero not only in the film but a hero in life. your mother thought maybe you could be a manager on the team after you lost your sight, he

movie 23 blast tells the true story of high school football star travis freeman and how a rare infectionim blind. dill on baker played father and direct the the film, shooting in freeman's kentucky hometown he knew the community was watching. >> every single person we would encounter they would have have have a personal relationship with the story and they wanted it to be told right. >> reporter: real travis freeman is ready to share his journey. >> it was hum blink that people feel that my story is worth telling report report 23 blast opens up on friday. >> that is your eye on entertainment, susan marquez for cbs news, los angeles. >>> and this is something we have to share with you, my partner ukee with cbs news correspondent bill whittaker celebrated 70th anniversary of the media fill owe ship council. whittaker became a 60 minutes correspondent earlier this year. media fellowship house promotes fellowship and understanding between diverse cultures and generations. you were there to mc. special night. >> definitely was. whittaker family and james family got together and they have been

it's not the travis freeman story but it is inspired by my story and raptures the feeling of my storyl, really a hero on and off the field. then what happened one day? >> one day i developed a severe sinus infection that reached the most deadly state that it can reach and kills 70% of the people who have it. and i was just one of the few people that it affected the eyes. it went from perfect 20/20 vision to no vision at all. >> what was it like the next day after that happened? >> well, i don't remember the first time i realized i couldn't see. but my parents tell me that when they came in and talked to me about it after the doctors told us i was probably never going to see again and i said, i believe i will see again. but if i don't, i can't wait to see what god is going to do with my story. and that has been my attitude from the very beginning. i'm not going to allow my blindness to hold me back. i want to overcome this and beat this. and it's turned into the message of my story in the books with the lights out and the movie t blast" is the story. >> how can you go from being on the