Audrey Hepburn

unicef.org ()

"She chose to give back. In that important choice lay the key to healing and understanding something that had affected her throughout her entire life: the sadness that had always been there" (Sean Hepburn Ferrer 1). Audrey Hepburn's son shows how Hepburn chose to do the right thing and give back to those who helped her when she was young. She was born May 4, 1929 in Brussels, Belgium and slipped into her death on January 20, 1993. As a child Hepburn was separated from her father for about 25 years when her homeland was invaded by the Nazis so she had always felt that an important part of her life was missing. To keep her mind off the bad memories she she took lessons for ballet in England and attended school. Ballet opened many doors for her and one of them was acting. Hepburn's career took off from there and she got her first role in Roman Holiday as Princess Anne. She made many more movies after that. Hepburn got married to Mel Ferrer in September of 1954 and had a baby boy, Sean Ferrer, but she got divorced Mel in 1968. In January of 1969, she married Andrea Dotti and ten years later they also separated. After enjoying many years with her two sons, Sean and Luca, she decided it was time to retire from her acting career and do something that meant a lot to her. She joined UNICEF and in 1988 became the goodwill ambassador where she traveled around the world and devoted herself to humanitarian work. One of her most terrifying trips was to Somalia where her words upon returning were "I have been to hell and back" (Ferrer 146). Hepburn was a fantastic actress "Yet, Audrey always considered her work as a UNICEF International Goodwill Ambassador her greatest role" (Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund). Hepburn used her traumatic childhood as a motivation that made her work hard to save impoverished children worldwide. 

Hepburn's childhood motivated her to help children all around the globe. Her childhood was scarring and wasn't easy to forget about: "Another traumatic mark was left by the Nazi occupation of Holland during World War II... People noted that 'along with her grandparents, she received food from a relief agency-- UNICEF's precursor'" (Gale Biography In Context). When Hepburn's family got invaded by the Nazis and were  disunited, she was in desperate need of food. UNICEF came to her rescue and they became her hero. If they had not been there for her, Hepburn could have died of starvation. From that moment on she would always have a special place in her heart for UNICEF. Hepburn joining UNICEF was special to her because she knew personally how much the kids appreciated what they did: '"Due to my own early experiences, I can testify to what UNICEF means to children," Audrey told the people at the festival . "I have kept a long-lasting gratitude to them and a trust in what they can do"' (Spoto 291). Hepburn had UNICEF to count on in a time of need and knew giving back was the right thing and because of that, she saved millions of kids lives. Hepburn had three miscarriages and her own two kids had a father was missing in their lives just like she did. Therefore, when she was holding kids in her arms it filled a hole of sadness in her heart and motivated her to continue with her work.

(unicef.org ())

Audrey Hepburn was a very hardworking woman who always did all she could to help. She rose awareness of the children dying in all the countries she trekked to: "According to UNICEF archives, "she also traveled the difficult roads to the rebel-held Southern Sudan, where she met with rebel leaders." She then visited camps for refugees" (Donald Spoto 112). Hepburn did all she was capable of to assist the children in need. She took the hardest jobs that had the most involvement, never stopped with her support in UNICEF, and always did the most possible. "For five years, Audrey traveled to over 20 countries witnessing innocent children struggling for survival. She reported these conditions to world leaders, governments and the international media, detailing provocative, often gruesome details about millions of children and their families caught in the midst of natural and man made disasters" (Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund). Hepburn saw all kinds of traumatic experiences and realized she had to make a change. She actively continued to make sure the countries she went to were alert to all the starving and diseased people. Hepburn also designed and participated in fundraisers, and gave a countless number of speeches and interviews advertising what UNICEF did. She was happy with her work, she loved kids and she was giving back; for her it was the perfect "role".

(unicef.org ())

Hepburn's tough life as a child lead her to be a hardworking ambassador of UNICEF aiding millions of children all around the globe. "While memories of fear, deprivation, and cattle cars full of deportees populated her dreams for the rest of her life, Hepburn utilized her experiences in ministering to the world's starving children" (Gale Biography In Context). Hepburn was a caring woman who worked hard and traveled the world raising awareness of  the famine-stricken children all around the world. She inspires me because she found something she loved and stayed committed to it, but at the same time she was doing an amazing deed. She inspired others by saving so many children and completely devoting herself to the two most important things in her life; UNICEF and family. She will always be remembered as one of the most caring, loving, beautiful women in the world. This is one line from a letter Hepburn's grandfather wrote for her when she was born and that has inspired her throughout her own life: "As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands: one for helping yourself, the other for helping others"(-Sam Levenson, Ferrer 217).