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Wilma Rudolph

by Kylie from San Diego

Wilma Rudolph ()
Wilma Rudolph ()

Overcoming Obstacles 

  "Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. The potential for greatness lives within each of us." - Wilma Rudolph. My hero is Wilma Rudolph. Wilma is considered a hero to me because she showed everyone that anything is possible if you make it possible (...anything is possible if you put your mind to it; if you believe in yourself; if you are dedicated). She was born prematurely in 1940, weighing only 4.2 pounds. When she was four years old, she contracted polio. She wore a brace on her left leg for five years. She then wore special corrective shoes for two years. She was the 20th child in a blended family that included twenty-two children. Out of all her siblings, she came out with birth defects and still came to be one of the top people in the world.To me a hero is a person who stands out from others by showing determination to overcome obstacles the world throws at them. Wilma Rudolph is not only known as a the first American female to win three Olympic gold medals in track and field, she is known as an inspiration because of her determination to keep practicing, walking, and her positive attitude that she would be able to walk again.

Wilma Rudolph holding medals
Wilma Rudolph holding medals

While growing up, Wilma Rudolph always had a positive mind set and she always lived up to it. Even when people thought she was never going to walk again, Wilma proved them wrong. "Dealing with adversity and illness only strengthened her determination to walk" (Denenberg, Dennis. "World's fastest woman) Later in life, she stated, "My doctors told me I would never walk again. My mother told me I would. I believed my mother" (Denenberg, Dennis. "World's fastest woman) Wilma is considered a hero because she was determined to walk again, without giving up. Wilma was determined to walk again because she believed she was able to. Wilma Rudolph was a role model and a hero because she showed everyone to never give up and to always believe. "My doctors told me I would never walk again. My mother told me I would. I believed my mother" (Denenberg, Dennis. "World's fastest woman). At age 13, she began playing high school basketball with one of her sisters. The Tennessee State University's track and field coach saw her play when she was in high school, and he knew that he was watching an extraordinary athlete. Wilma Rudolph is considered a hero to me because she believes in the impossible and makes it possible. Wilma Rudolph shows heroic acts by going forth with tough situations in her life no matter what. Wilma was one who always set high goals to accomplish, and at the end she did.

Another reason Wilma Rudolph is considered a hero to me is because she had determination. When you're fighting a disease or going through challenges, you need to be motivated and determined to move forward in life. Wilma Rudolph was not the only person that showed determination, but she was the person who stood out. "I remember going back to my high school this particular day with the bronze medal and all the kids that I disliked so much or I thought I disliked . put up this big huge banner: 'Welcome Home Wilma.' And I forgave them right then and there.. They passed my bronze medal around so that everybody could touch, feel and see what an Olympic medal is like. When I got it back, there were handprints all over it. I took it and I started shining it up. I discovered that bronze doesn't shine. So, I decided I'm going to try this one more time. I'm going to go for the gold"(Wilma Rudolph) . I think Wilma Rudolph is a hero to me because she showed everyone that she was determined and able to overcome her injuries and be the best in it. Wilma was able to overcome her injuries because of her determination. Wilma Rudolph was a authentic hard working person when it came to achieving goals. "When I was about 5, I spent most of my time trying to figure out how to get my [leg] braces off," she told the Chicago Tribune, "When you come from a large wonderful family, there's always a way to achieve your goals, especially when you don't want your parents knowing them. I would take off my braces, then station my brothers and sisters all through the house and they would tell me if my parents were coming and then I'd hurry and put the braces back on "(Wilma Rudolph).

Wilma Rudolph winning the race ()
Wilma Rudolph winning the race ()

Wilma Rudolph is considered a hero because she went the extra mile to go forward and work at walking and showing everyone that she's working at improving and accomplishing something. Wilma Rudolph shows she is hero worthy because keeps working harder to meet her achievements. Not only did Wilma achieve big goals she also achieved the little ones. The big goals are just the same as the little goals the only thing that matters is that those goals are accomplished. Wilma Rudolph is considered a hero to me because she was able to try to win a gold medal award, but after that she went above and beyond to try and win other awards. Wilma Rudolph was this woman who grew up with a disease that everyone thought would stop her from moving forward in life but it didn't. A few years after Wilma took the knee brace off, she joined a basketball team, then she became the first American female to win a medal. Wilma Rudolph is an inspiration to me because she goes the extra mile, she goes out of her way to be the top. She is a hero because she went through tough struggles in her life and by overcoming these challenges she did something productive which showed how she made her life better. In the end Wilma Rudolph might just be a famous sprinter to some but I strongly believe that she is a genuine positive and determined inspiration.

Page created on 5/18/2017 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 5/18/2017 12:00:00 AM

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