At First sight, his appearance isn't overly impressive. For a 23-year-old, he's perhaps a bit on the heavy side. But as you sit down to talk, his smile, will catch you. It's a warm smile, very genuine.

Robert Wright wants to help other people. You can tell as he speaks he is a "very affectionate person," although he will offer that piece of information later. The outlet he has found to help others is the American Heart Association (AHA) Heart-a-thon. His goal this year is to raise $5,000.

The association sponsors such "... a-thons" each year to raise money for the research and treatment of heart disease. People sign up to walk, jog, or bike so many miles in order raise the funds. After signing up, the participants try to recruit sponsors to finance their feat (or feet). Once the mileage task is completed, all money earned is collected and sent to the AHA.

Last year Wright got involved with the Heart-a-thon for the first time. He's not your average type of participant, however. He's legally blind.

He said he can se some things, but not enough. Even with glasses Wright's vision is only one-tenth of normal vision in one eye and one-fifth in the other. Add that with a partial paralysis of the right side and a high pain threshold (dull sense of touch), and it presents more than a few problems in everyday life.

"The Heart-a-thon is my way of saying thank you for all the help I've received these past five years," he said. He has been receiving aid from the state for his educational and living expenses since his graduation from high school.

Wright's handicaps were acquired in a car accident when he was only 3 weeks old. The doctors gave him only a 20-80 chance of survival. And even if he did survive, they said, he would probably be more a human vegetable than anything else, with no sense of hearing, speech, touch or vision.

Characteristic of the way Wright seems to operate, he took the odds and made them work. Although his sight, speech and touch are all impaired to some degree, he has been able to advance to his goal of a degree in business. It has taken him five years, including summers to finis two years of college.

As he speaks, you sense a confidence that only comes from understanding the reactions of others as well as himself. And he is confident. But it's the smile that will catch you.

Last year Wright earned $1000 for the association by biking 50 miles.

"The experience of helping others is very satisfying," he said. His personal goal he said, is to encourage other handicapped individuals to get involved in events like the Heath-a-thon.

"Handicapped people tend to have a pessimistic view ... and get caught in their devaluations. I want them to realize their own abilities, that they can contribute to help others."

This year Wright says he wants to go all the way. Numero Uno.

"By paving the way I want to encourage other handicapped individuals to strive for perfection, not because of pressure from their peers or parents, but because of their own initiatives."

To be number one in the competition to raise funds, he needs sponsors That poses another problem, because he can't drive a car like most participants and therefore isn't as mobile.

Characteristic of his ability to work against the odds, however, Wright has a plan.He said he hopes to get student and faculty support for his 100 mile bike trip around Lake Washington.

A special arrangement already has been worked out with the AHA to collect his sponsors' pledges. Rather than collect after the event is over, Wright has permission to collect pledges before. All money received is then send to an AHA Treasurer in Kitsap County, who has agreed to hold the pledges until Wright completes his 100 miles.

So far $700 has been collected, "but I want to turn over every stone." he said. Of course there are prize incentives for the winners of the competition -- and Wright's goal is a trip to Hawaii. "I've never been," he said.

Anyone who wishes to help by becoming a sponsor, send checks payable to the American Heart Association of Washington, c/o Robert Wright, Mc Mahon Hall, P.O. Box 308, Seattle, 98195, or call 543-7308.