Oprah Winfrey

It all started in Mississippi, U.S.A. when a small colored girl was born to young unwedded parents. No one could have predicted that her life would impact so many other lives. If you want to learn more about a hero like no other, you should read about Oprah Winfrey. I think she fits my definition of a hero because she is smart, giving and helps others to make this world a better place for the less fortunate. She is a hero to many people.

Young Oprah

She was born on January 26, 1954 in Kosciusko, Mississippi, U.S.A.. Her parents were young teenagers who were not married and they did not have much money. Her mother’s name was Vernita Lee, she was 18 when she had Oprah and her dad, Vernon Winfrey, was 20 and he was working in the armed forces at the time. Her parents could not keep her, so Oprah lived with her grandmother on a farm for 6 years.

Oprah often refers to her grandmother saying that she saved her life. When Oprah was 6 her mother Vernita Lee decided that she would take her back. Oprah stayed with her mother for 3 years. During that time she was raped by her cousin when she was 9 and her mother’s male friend molested her and then later an uncle. After that Oprah ran away many times from her mother.

Then her mother decided to send Oprah to her dad. At the age of 14 Oprah gave birth to an already dead baby boy. This death made her realize that she should do something with her life. She was cast to host a TV show called “People Are Talking”. She hosted many other shows because everybody loved her. Finally, in 1986 Oprah had her on show called "Oprah."

I think that she is a fighter because she was able to overcome the obstacles in her life: poverty, rape and abuse. She is also generous, although she is very wealthy. She loves to give to people who don’t have as much. Oprah Winfrey is an animal lover, she adopted three puppies one of which had a birth defect and she felt sorry for it. Therefore, she adopted it even though the breeder told her “you don’t want that one!” Oprah Winfrey is very curious and she is not afraid to speak her mind. For example, she likes to get to the truth. She is helpful because she is always there to help her country, ex. the Katrina hurricane where she gave money, food and time.

She has opened the world to discussion, mostly because of what she had to overcome in her personal life. Oprah has talked about rape, abuse, eating disorder and allowed people to share their life style with others. By learning from others’ mistakes we can avoid doing the same errors. It makes people realize how serious and how bad things can be. Oprah is a role model to people all around the world. She is one of the few women who was not afraid of being herself and speaking out.

After all her struggles with her childhood, after experiencing a life changing event like losing a child at a young age, she put her mind to being a better person. I believe Oprah Winfrey should be recognized because of all the good things she has done besides overcoming all of her struggles. She has given to many charities, started a foundation called “Oprah’s Angel Network”. She has opened us to many subjects that were not discussed out in the open: anorexia, rape, and abuse of women, abuse of children and many other topics that were not talked about. I admire her for her strength and I love dogs just like she does.