Theodore Roosevelt

Teddy Roosevelt is one of the best presidents in my opinion because he did so much to help the community and fight for his country. He dealt with the death of many of his friends and family members that he loved so much. He showed his skill of perseverance in many events in his life and even with health problems he kept doing as much as he could to be the best president he could be.

Theodore or "Teddy" Roosevelt was born on October 27, 1858 in New York City. He lived in a Family with two sisters and a brother and his parents. As a teenager he became a boxer and a skilled weightlifter. When Teddy started his second year at Harvard Law School he was informed of tragic news involving his father's death. Later in his college life he enrolled at Columbia Law School and got married to his first wife, Alice Hathaway Lee.

On February 14, 1884 Teddy found his mother Mittie dead from typhoid fever and on the same day his wife Alice died of Bright's disease which affects the kidney. Roosevelt was so shocked and overwhelmed that all of this was happening to him and he requested that no one mention Alice around him in his time of grief because it was so heartbreaking. Roosevelt got remarried to Edith Kermit Carow and had 6 children. He became a civil service commissioner, a New York police commissioner, and then a New York governor. Eventually in his political life he became vice president when President McKinley was in office and after McKinley was assassinated at 42, Roosevelt stayed in office for 8 years.

Teddy is known for some of the most breathtaking moments in history involving an attempted assassination during one of his speeches. He was shot in the chest by a sniper and still carried on a 90 minute speech with a bullet in his chest until an ambulance showed up. He showed courage, bravery, and endurance in this event but as well in many other events in his life. Roosevelt showed his skill of endurance by dealing with so many tragic deaths of loved ones, the saddest being his youngest son Quentin who was shot and killed in Germany.

Roosevelt was mainly concerned about helping his community before and during his presidency when they were in a time of need. Before he became president he was captain of the National Guard as well as the minority leader of the New York Assembly and took part in other public service events. Teddy is known for organizing the First United States Volunteer Calvary Regiment commonly known as the "Rough Riders" and becoming Lieutenant Colonel of the group along with Leonard Wood, M.D. Teddy and the Rough Riders will always be known and remembered for the Battle of San Juan Heights at San Juan Hill were this heroic man led them into battle.

He won many awards during his lifetime including the Nobel Peace Prize that he won for his role in negotiating the Russo-Japanese war and other awards he won for the Battle of San Juan Heights. On January 6, 1919 Roosevelt died at his estate in Long Island, New York on Sagamore Hill from a coronary embolism. He will always be remembered for his great presidency and all of the things he did even with the health problems he was born with. Teddy Roosevelt is my hero because he showed dignity and courage in the terms he served as president. He was so active and energetic and even served for his community many times with his weak heart and severe asthma he grew up with. Even through hardships and struggle Roosevelt pushed forward to support our country and those around him. He will always be one of the best presidents the U.S. will ever have in my opinion and always be known for the great moments that occurred in his life.