Benjamin Carson

Benjamin Solomon Carson once said, "Through hard work, perseverance and a faith in God, you can live your dreams." Carson a Chief neurosurgeon at John Hopkins University could have easily said "everything is too hard" or "I don't want to do it" but he never did. Carson's never-give up attitude and willingness to help others define him as a hero. Carson may have never unlocked his abilities and changed so many lives, without hard work, perseverance, and his mother's faith in him.

Carson was born on September 18, 1951 in Detroit, Michigan. Carson, had a severe temper, low self-esteem, did poorly in school, and grew up with no father.

"I was perhaps the worst student you have ever seen. You know, I thought I was stupid, all my classmates thought I was stupid, so there was general agreement," Carson said in a television interview. 

Fortunately for Carson it was his perseverance and that prevailed when his mother Sonya Carson limited his television time. Carson and his brother were required to read two books a week and write book reports on both.

"My favorite subject was recess. Fortunately for me, I had a mother who believed I was smart," said Carson.  Carson a high school student was at the very bottom of his class, but he finished at the top and graduated and went on to attend Yale University.

Without his mother's faith in him, Carson would have most likely never become a doctor. Sonya Carson was able to turn her son from someone who in fifth grade had never read a whole book, into a man who would become a world renowned Pediatric Neurosurgeon. For her incredible work, and unfaltering determination, I believe Sonya Carson qualifies as a hero too.

While in medical school, Carson realized he had great hand eye coordination and the ability to visualize the brain in 3-D.

            Removing half of a brain seems like an impossible and crazy idea, but that is what Carson did in 1985. Carson preformed a cerebral hemispherectomy on a four- year old patient who suffered over one hundred seizures a day. Carson's patient had a full recovery, and others with similar conditions came to Carson for the same procedure.

Carson gained international attention when he led a team of surgeons in a 22 hour procedure to separate twins, Patrick and Benjamin Binder, who were joined at the back of the head (occipital craniopagus twins).  This was the first time this surgery was successfully completed when both twins survived.  Carson's hard work gave life back to the Binder Twins and many more patients.

            I believe a hero should do more than be a hero in their own time, but spread their knowledge and wisdom to other generations. That is exactly what Carson has done with over 90 neurosurgical publications, four top selling books, and public speeches. Carson was awarded the American Medal of Freedom in 2008, the highest civilian award in America. He is also the President and Co-Founder of the Carson Scholar Fund which provides scholarships to students and promotes reading. Dr. Benjamin Solomon Carson retired as a Pediatric Neurosurgeon in June of 2013.

Works Cited

"A Healer Beyond the Operating Room." John Hopkins University, n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.

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Shackelford, Renee, Dr. "The My Hero Project - Ben Carson." Myhero.com. The My Hero            Project, Inc., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.    .

Photographs                                                                                                                        

"Dr. Ben Carson Photos." Official Photos of Dr. Ben Carson. Carson Scholars Fund, n.d. Web.    30 Nov. 2013. .

"The History of African American@ John Hopkins University." Dr. Ben Carson. John Hopkins    University, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2013.    .