In later years, Simpson would consider learning about his diagnosis that early to be a blessing in disguise, telling an interviewer for a University of Virginia publication in 2019, "As a kid, you don’t really think about it.

"[1] While he was a devoted fan of baseball in general and the Atlanta Braves in particular, he realized that playing it would not be an option due to his vision impairment.

[1] Simpson graduated from Washington and Lee University in 2012, after which he worked in Colorado for the United States Association of Blind Athletes.

[1] After winning a silver medal at the 2016 Summer Paralympics, Simpson attended the University of Virginia School of Law and graduated in 2020.

[4] Simpson first made the United States national team in 2011 while a student at Washington and Lee,[1] going on to represent the US at the Parapan American Games and win silver medals in 2015 and 2019.