Helen Keller

Helen Keller is my hero. Helen Keller was born in a small town called Tuscumbia, Alabama. Her birthday was June 27, 1880. She died in 1968 when she was 88 years old. Helen Keller is my hero because she is a great role model for everyone. Helen was amazing and I hope you will find her amazing too.

Helen was born a normal healthy baby. When Helen was 19 months old she became extremely ill. Helen survived the illness, but could no longer hear or see. Learning was tough for Helen. She was called a wild child because she could not communicate with others or follow rules. Helen was always frustrated.

When Helen was 6 years old her mother realized that Helen needed help. Helen's life changed on March 3, 1887 because Helen's parents hired Annie Sullivan to take care of Helen. Annie Sullivan had to find a way to communicate with Helen by getting her to understand words and meanings. Annie Sullivan found a way to communicate with Helen by putting her hand under a water pump and spelling W-A-T-E-R in to Helen's hand. That was the first word Helen learned. Annie Sullivan solved the problem by putting Helen's hand on something that she wanted Helen to learn and then spelled it out on the palm of her hand. Helen was busy trying to learn words and sentences. She learned to communicate by signing the alphabet. She learned how to write and even speak.

In 1904 Helen was the first blind and deaf person to get a college degree. Helen met many famous people including Alexander Graham Bell. He invented the telephone. In 1924 Helen joined the American Foundation for the Blind. The leading advocate for people who are blind. For 44 years Helen toured the United States making programs that helped the blind. Helen travelled the world giving many speeches. She believed that women should be treated equal and have the same opportunities. Helen was a great writer. She wrote many books. Books that are still read today over 100 years later.

Helen spent her life teaching others about being blind and deaf. She believed that everyone from all races and cultures deserved the same rights. Helen died in her sleep in 1968, when she was 87 years old.