Stephen Edwin King

Have you ever lived in poverty and escaped from it? Stephen King lived in poverty all through his childhood life until he managed to overcome it by doing what he loved to do the most which was writing. Stephen King started getting into writing when he was in high school in Lisbon falls and he continued to write ever since. Stephen King is a hero, because he escaped poverty, he created charities, and he accomplished many other things as well.

Stephen King grew up in poverty for a big portion of his life, but he overcame its many obstacles that makes him a hero in my eyes. Stephen King was born on September 21st, 1947 in Portland, Maine. Stephen King is the second child of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. The first child which is Stephen`s older brother David was born just a few years before Stephen was. Stephen's father, Donald, went to go get cigarettes one day and never came back. Little did he know that this action would start setting Stephen`s future in place. Due to this event Stephen's mother Nellie had to find a way to make a living before they lost everything they had. Since Donald left Nellie a family to raise, a house, and everything else she had to get a job. Due to extreme shortage of money Nellie worked so much that Stephen and David barely got to see their mother. David took care of his little brother Stephen and kept him out of trouble as much as he possibly could. David showed Stephen what the world's life was like through his eyes. While they had to move to multiple places across the United States. David and Stephen were the only true friends they both really had. They had to follow their mother and the jobs that lead them to many places such as Fort Wayne, Indiana, Stratford, Connecticut, and back to Durham, Maine. According to Stephen, "We had to move back to Durham, Maine because my grandparents, Guy and Nellie Pillsbury, had become incapacitated with old age" (Stephen King). Stephen's aunt persuaded his mom to take care of their parents and Ruth's family would be provided a house and financial support if she did. Soon later Stephen's grandparents' died and Ruth started to work in the Pineland kitchens of a mentally challenged facility. Although Stephen King lived in poverty and overcame it he still had many accomplishments in life as well.

Stephen King achieved many things in life from then on but the accomplishments were just the beginning that's why he's a hero in many eyes as well. Once Stephen King settled down in Durham, Maine with his family he started to go to Lisbon Falls High School where he excelled in his English classes. He was so motivated about writing that his English teacher suggested that he should also attend Grammar School so he did. Stephen finished school and graduated in 1966 with a few writing scholarships for college. With his scholarships Stephen was able to go to the University of Maine at Orono. He was so extravagant in his English class that he was accepted to write weekly columns for his school's newspaper "The Maine Campus". He was also a member of the student senate in student politics. While in college Stephen supported the anti - war movement. Stephen Edwin King states, "The Vietnam war was unconstitutional" (Stephen King). Afterwards he graduated in the year 1970 with a Bachelor's Associate's degree in English. This allowed him to teach at the high school level. Later on he tried to get in the army but couldn't due to multiple medical reasons such as high blood pressure, vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums. He soon met and married Tabitha Spruce in January 1971. After his marriage he taught at a public high school in Hampden, Maine called Hampden Academy which gave him the time to write his stories.

Stephen is known for his leadership because he led people to do what they love the most so he is a hero in their eyes. King sold his first novel, Carrie, in 1973 which was the #1 bestseller after it was published in the spring of 1974. King admits, "Carrie is about a tormented teen who gets her revenge on her enemies" (Beahm 74). With his first novel success King was able to write anytime he wanted to. Other books he wrote are: The Shining in 1976 that was made into a classic horror film, Salem's Lot in 1975, Cujo in 1981, and The Mist. Since his first horror thriller, King has been nominated for many awards. Stephen won 48 awards, was nominated for 113, and was a recipient for 4. Some of the awards he won are World Fantasy Awards, Horrors Writers Association Awards, Horror Guild Awards, and Deutscher Phantastic Preis Awards. With all the stories King wrote came lots of money which he decided to give back to his communities. With extra money Stephen King and his wife decided to create charities. The Kings created the Stephen & Tabitha King Foundation which helps artists that are unable to work due to health problems. Stephen created this foundation because he was hit by a car and received many fractures in his right leg, broken ribs, and a collapsed lung which took him out of work for over 3 weeks in June 19, 1999.

In 2011 a major storm hit Maine and many people couldn't pay for their heating fuel so Stephen's radio station raised $70,000 from donations of people to pay heating fuel for the Maine residents in need during their hard winter. Another charity King created was the Heifer International Charity that helps build strong communities, sustainability, environment protection, and peace. This charity provides livestock and training to decrease hunger, poverty, and to encourage self-reliance. It has offered families food for over 60 years and gave self-reliance and hope for millions of families in 128 countries. The Kings also support the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in the fight against cancer which raises survival chances for children and families around the world. Stephen King is a major hero due to the lives he changed with his charities.

All in all Stephen King is a hero due to overcoming poverty, changing people's lives with charities, and accomplishing his writing career. He managed to do these things by doing what he loved most writing stories, graduating high school and college, and leading people by pointing them into the right direction in life.