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Beryl Markham

by Vivian from New Jersey


Will Rogers said, “We can’t all be heroes, because someone has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by.” People are inspired by heroes. A hero is a role model. Heroes make a difference in the world by helping people or doing something important. Beryl Markham from Kenya is a hero to many people because she was the first woman to get her commercial pilot license in that country.

Beryl Markham was born in Leicester, England in 1886 and died in 1902. When she was 3 years old, she moved to Kenya. She had an early interest in horses because her father had bred different ones. He bred them for the Niarobi Race Track. She helped her father breed the horses. Later in her life, she learned how to speak many different African languages. As a teenager, Denys Finch Hatton, a big game hunter, took her flying in his airplane. Beryl loved it! She was thrilled by the experience. Soon after that, she started to take lessons on how to fly. When Denys Finch Hatton was killed in an air crash, Beryl became more determined to fly.

She took flying lessons. Finally, she got her pilot license. She was the first women in Kenya to get her commercial pilot license. For less than a year, she undertook a daring solo flight to England. She had trouble, but she made it! From Kenya to London, it took her 23 days. Her first transatlantic solo flight she survived, but the plane crashed. When she got out of the plane she spotted two fishermen, greeting them by saying, “I’m Mrs. Markham. I’ve just flown from England.” The flight across the Atlantic had almost ended. But it did not end because she was safe and showed her flying abilities.

Beryl Markham has three qualities of a hero. They are to be inspirational, talented, and accomplishing goals. She was an inspiration to women in Kenya. She taught them that women can fly a plane or do whatever they dream of. The last trait was talented. She had a talent to fly that she never knew she had. Before she came along, only men would fly airplanes. Other people might be afraid to do something that no women had done before. She accomplished her goal.

In conclusion, a hero has wonderful qualities, such as a role model, accomplishes great deeds, and is extraordinary. Beryl Markham will always be remembered as the first woman to fly an airplane. Beryl Markham from Kenya is a hero to many because she was the first woman to get her commercial pilot license. She was truly a hero.

Page created on 6/18/2006 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 6/18/2006 12:00:00 AM

The beliefs, viewpoints and opinions expressed in this hero submission on the website are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, viewpoints and opinions of The MY HERO Project and its staff.

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