This series of biographies is meant to inspire us to achieve what we love most. Many times it helps to know that we are not alone, that other fabulous people have gone through difficult times, and yet their courage and strength drove them forward. We all share this courage, this strength. Ahead!.
The extraordinary Helen Keller
Helen Keller was an author, activist, and speaker who was born on June 27, 1880 in a small town in Alabama, USA. She was born healthy, but at 19 months old, she became ill with an alleged brain congestion that left her blind, deaf, and unable to speak.
Thereafter, even without the use of her eyes, ears, or vocal cords, the little girl learned to communicate with her family by herself so that they understood her feelings and needs. Without allowing this to discourage her or her family, by the age of seven she had already developed more than 60 different signs to communicate.
In 1887, his parents contacted Alexander Graham Bell, who worked with deaf youth. He recommended them to the Perkins Institute for the Blind in Massachusetts. They delegated Anne Sullivan, one of the teachers at that institute, to try to create a connection with Helen and teach her sign language, to read in Braille, and to write.
Sullivan received permission from the Kellers to isolate Helen in a small house in her garden to discipline the girl and teach her to control her temper. Helen had an epiphany when she realized that Sullivan's movements in her palms symbolized the idea of "water." Thereafter, Helen demanded to know the names of familiar objects in her world.
Her personal teacher was able to teach Helen to speak using the Tadoma method: touching the lips of others as they speak, feeling the vibrations, and spelling the alphabetic characters in the palm of Helen's hand. She also learned to read French, German, Greek, Latin, geography, and mathematics.
She then entered the Cambridge Girls' School, and at age 16 enrolled at Radcliffe University, where she received cum laude (with honors) in 1904. She was the first deaf-mute person to graduate from a university. During these years, Helen began to write about her life. Her book, called "The Story of My Life," was published in 1903 and eventually became a classic.
Helen and Sullivan then started a tour of talks and lectures about their experiences to more than 39 countries. Helen recounted her life in sign language and her partner interpreted it phrase by phrase.
She became a world famous speaker and author with tremendous willpower and courage. She established the fight for the world's disabled, founding Helen Keller International, a nonprofit organization for the prevention of blindness, in 1915. She used her new home as a fundraising headquarters for the American Foundation for the Blind.
Sullivan stayed with Helen until her death in 1936. From that moment on, she was assisted by Polly Thompson and Winnie Corbally to develop their projects.
Helen met famous people like Alexander Bell, Mark Twain, John Rockefeller, Charlie Chaplin, and all the presidents of the USA from Grover Cleveland to John F. Kennedy to carry out their tasks. President Lyndon B. Johnson awarded him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of the two highest civilian decorations, in 1964.
She died on June 1, 1968 at age 88. She was cremated and her remains are kept in the Chapel of Saint Joseph of Arimathea in the Washington National Cathedral.
Helen's life was fantastic. She used her efforts, courage, and love for others to become one of the most inspiring and inspiring people for the disabled with blindness and / or deafness worldwide. As you will see, Helen persevered and was not afraid to go to others when she needed help. Asking for help does not show weakness, but maturity and strength.
