Helen Keller

Helen Keller is a hero because even though she was different from others, she was able to become a great influence on people not only with disabilities like Helen, but to all. She always lived by the motto that if you try hard enough, you will be able to get what you want. Helen is a hero to me because she was persistent, courageous, and inspiring. She demonstrated these qualities in very obvious ways throughout her life. Helen was born on June 27, 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. She was born with the ability to see and hear but lost those abilities very quickly at the age of 18 months old due to sickness. Helen soon visited many people that kept recommending her to different specialists in different places. She was finally recommended to twenty year-old Anne Sullivan, and that one recommendation was the start of a great forty-nine year relationship. Anne helped Helen become the hero that she was by giving her the ability to communicate with her world.

Helen did not give up throughout the learning process she went through with Sullivan. Anne arrived at Keller's house in March of 1887 and immediately got to work. Helen was frustrated at first because she did not understand that every object had a word to describe it. After all, she was only seven years old when the classes started. Helen's first breakthrough came during the next month, when Anne was teaching Helen the word water. Anne ran cool water over Helen's hand while she made motions on Helen's palm symbolizing the word. Suddenly, Helen comprehended most of the things that Anne was teaching her. During the process of learning, Helen demonstrated great persistence. This is one of the characteristics that make Helen a hero in my eyes. 

Helen Keller graduates from Radcliffe College. (awesomestories.com (Perkins Museum))

Helen was very courageous. She would always do what was best for her and her education, no matter what circumstance. During many times in her life, she would move around the country away from her family so she could get the education she needed. In May 1888, Helen attended the Perkins Institute for the Blind. In 1894, Anne and Helen moved to New York to attend the Wright-Humason School for the Deaf, and to learn from Sarah Fuller at the Horace Mann School for the Deaf. In 1896, they returned to Massachusetts and Helen went to the Cambridge School for Young Ladies. Following this, Helen met Mark Twain. Twain introduced her to Henry Huttleson and his wife Abbie. They were so impressed with Helen that they agreed to pay for her education at Radcliffe College! In 1904, at the age of 24, Keller graduated from Radcliffe becoming the first blind and deaf person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Helen was very inspiring. She got many awards just for being who she was; a persistent, intelligent woman. On September 14, 1964, President Johnson awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is one of the United States' two highest civilian honors. In 1965, she was elected to the National Women's Hall of Fame at the New York's World Fair. Helen was honored numerous times for her courageousness and persistence throughout her life. In 2003, Alabama honored her by putting her on the state quarter. Many can admire her because she put forth a lot of effort toward being able to communicate with the people in the world around her. Helen wanted people to think of her as an equal to others even though she was a bit different. I think this is very inspiring because she wanted to be treated equally to every one else.

Helen died in her sleep on June 1, 1968 at her home in Easton, Connecticut. She was buried next to her long time companions, Anne Sullivan, and Polly Thompson. Helen was a great influence on people in the United States that if you want to accomplish something, you can. She put forth a lot of effort and got what she wanted. I admire Helen because she was a great role model for people who have dreams.