HAWLEY, Pa. — Born and raised in Hawley, Daniel Janosik had a creative mind and hands ready to work. His daughter Diane grew up watching her dad put that creativity into motion.
"He was very interested in science and physics, science and astronomy. That led him down the path of how to view the sun which he was obsessed with in a safe way," said Diane Lila Janosik.
In her childhood home, her dad built a prototype of the Sunspotter solar viewing device.
It allows mirrors and filtered lenses people the see the sun without looking straight at it. A piece of technology that changed the way people view solar eclipses.
"It's a sense of pride for our family to know that my father's invention that was made of rudimentary materials that he acquired from the old silk mill in the 1970's. He used to work there as a janitor where he would acquire pieces that were used to make a telescope that are now used around the world," said Janosik.
After Janosik perfected the design, he applied for a patent in 1979. A few years later in 1984 the patent was awarded. Diane says back then her dad sold Sunspotters for about $40 each.
"We unfortunately lost the patent. He died unexpectedly in 1995 and my mom didn't know about patent law so she didn't renew it. It was then acquired by a big tech company, so sometimes my dad's name doesn't get mentioned," explained Janosik.
One of the Sunspotters based on Janosik's design is displayed in the Air and Space Museum at The Smithsonian in Washington D.C.
Daniel Janosik was a graduate of Wallenpaupack High School.
His daughter also tells Newswatch 16 her father suffered from a debilitating illness called Charcot Marie Tooth Disease.
A hereditary neurological disorder that severely affected his hands and feet. She says his hands and fingers were very weak and he lacked dexterity, but it didn't stop him from pursuing his passions.