Thomas Alva Edison

My hero is Thomas Alva Edison. He was a very accomplished man and has created many inventions that are used in everyday life. He is a true hero, because he made many things that we would be lost without. He is perhaps most famous for inventing the light bulb. How many people do not use a light bulb in a day?

Edison created many things. He had exactly 1,093 patents. That is over 1,000 inventions. This includes his most famous inventions, the light bulb, phonograph, and motion pictures. But, he didn't exactly invent the light bulb. He just improved a design. That doesn't make him any less heroic, though. He made the first practical incandescent light bulb. Period. The phonograph was another great invention. He got the idea from trying to make a better telegraph. He finished the first working model in 1877, and was even invited to the White House to show the president. His final well known invention is the motion picture. One of his first movies was a movie of his employee pretending to sneeze.

Thomas Alva Edison was born on February 11, 1847. He had a very interesting life. One of his biggest challenges he overcame was becoming nearly deaf. He had this happen in 1866, when he was 19. He started trying to make a better telegraph in 1873, and made the phonograph in July 1877. He also made the light bulb in 1877. He started making electric railways and lamps in 1880. In 1888 he made the first motion picture lamps. October 18, 1931,Thomas Alva Edison died. He had two different wives in all. Mary Stilwell was his first wife from 1871-1884. Mina Miller was his second from 1886 until his death. He had 7 children in all, between the two wives.

Thomas Edison is a hero because he was an entrepreneur. He was inventive, adventurous, intelligent, and persistent. No matter how many times he failed, he kept trying. He persevered and made many things that improved life for everyone. And perseverance is one of the Blue Valley Virtues. He did things that, in his time, would have been called crazy. Just imagine being deaf and being criticized as much as he was, and still be as accomplished as he was. Right at this very moment, chances are, you are using one of his inventions. Whichever one you are using, the use of it has probably changed your life. If someone can change your life for the better nearly 80 years after their death, I think you would call them a hero too.