"A different world!" Colorblind deputy is moved to tears, as he sees color for first time

EUREKA, Calif. (KTVU) - A Humboldt County sheriff's deputy, who is colorblind, is moved to tears when a colleague presents him with a gift that allows him to see the world in an entirely different light.

Last Wednesday, Deputy Jeff Dishmon was handed a colorful bunch of mylar balloons and was told by colleagues that they had a gift for him.

Deputy Samantha Freese then opened up a sunglass case and Dishmon was asked, "Do you have any idea what those are?"

Dishmon knew. "Yeah," he quickly responds with excitement. Freese herself is overcome with emotion, and it takes a moment for her to get the glasses out. 

When Deputy Dishmon finally places them on his face, his reaction is priceless as he takes in colors for the first time ever.

He covers his mouth as the tears come down. When asked, "What do you see?" 

Dishmon responds, "A different world!"

With other members of the sheriff's office pitching in, Deputy Freese purchased a pair of enchroma classes for the man she affectionately refers to as Grandpa.

The glasses help color-blind people see hues for the first time, mostly red.

They range in price from about $270-$430.

The video of the moment was posted on the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office Facebook page, where deputies say Freese and Dishmon have worked together for the past eight years and developed a very special bond. 
 
"Over the years the two have grown close, nicknaming each other 'Grandpa' and 'Granddaughter,'" the post said.
 
Freese wanted to help her friend who has struggled with not being able to see color. 

"Dishmon has been color blind his whole life, which has sometimes been a source of frustration for him and others around him," the post said.  

It's not a surprise that Dishmon's colleagues wanted to do something special for the man, who is well respected in the department. His lieutenant describes him as an all-around good guy.

The lieutenant said, "Jeff is one of the nicest, caring and genuine person you will ever meet... he sets the standard for job dedication. He’s firm and fair all the while being compassionate and understanding to those he supervises."

Since the sheriff's office posted the video on Facebook, it's received more than 10K views. The department told KTVU it has been happy people are responding to and connecting with Deputy Dishmon's joyful moment. 

"The Sheriff's Office is pleasantly surprised by the widespread attention given to this one, simple act of kindness," the agency told KTVU.  "Especially in our line of work, we often only hear of and see the bad things that are happening. It's nice to share some truly positive news," the sheriff's office added. 

Toward the end of the video, Deputy Dishmon is just overcome with gratitude, thanking Freese with a long hug.

He then turns to the other deputies and thanks them too, and then says words that moves everyone to tears: "My wife is gonna sit and watch a sunset with me."

This story was reported from Oakland, Calif.