James Ryan, who is deaf, blind and mute, prepares food for fellow MOLIFE members, MOLIFE is an agency that supports people with disabilities, at the Knights of Columbus lodge on Route 6 in Mattapoisett. James is helped by Michelle Messier, who tries to stay out of the way as much as possible. She says that he is happiest when cooking. During a break, James will pull out a braille version of National Geographic magazine, as he tries to stay in touch with the outside world. James was born deaf, but lost his sight when he was 8 years old.