Walt Disney

Walt Disney was born on December 5, 1901, in Chicago, Illinois. He is the son of Elias Disney and Flora (Call) Disney. Walt had one sister and three brothers. He later moved to Marceline, Missouri. Disney was very interested in art. He studied art and photography at McKinley High School in Chicago.

During the fall of 1918, Disney tried to enlist in the Military Service. He was rejected because he was only sixteen years old. Walt joined the Red Cross and was sent overseas to France, where he drove an ambulance for a year. His ambulance was covered with cartoons! When Walt got back, he decided to pursue a career in commercial art.

On July 13, 1925, Walt married one of his employees, Lillian Bounds, in Lewiston, Idaho. They had two daughters. Walt decided he would build a park because he thought all the other parks were dirty and the parents were getting bored while their children played. The park he would build would entertain children and their families.

Walt Disney died on December 15, 1966. Walt used to say quite often, "You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world, but it takes people to make the dream reality!"

The first quality that classifies Walt Disney as a hero was his caring nature. His idea of opening up Disneyland was a great idea because a lot of sick children's final wish was to go to Disneyland. Without Walt Disney, there would be no Disneyland. He made a new park for his girls and the other children in their area because the other one was dirty and too far away. He also made lots of cartoons so children could have something enjoyable to watch on the television.

The second quality that Walt had was bravery. He was an ambulance driver and he saved many lives. He was brave to try and enlist in the army to save his country when he was only sixteen years of age. He dropped out of school at the age of seventeen to go to help out in World War I!

Walt Disney is admired because he did so much for his country. He got what he wanted to get out of life. He helped people make their lives fun by opening up Disneyland!