Hellen Keller, The Girl Who Became A Legend

I bet you’ll like the Hellen Keller story. Have you heard of her? Well, Hellen was born at the end of the 19th century in a small town in Alabama, in the United States. Shortly after her first birthday, she suffered a very strong fever that kept her on the verge of death for several weeks (current doctors think it could be Meningitis or Scarlet fever). Everyone thought he was going to die, but miraculously he recovered.

The happiness did not last. Because of the illness, Hellen had become deaf and blind. The family raised several questions. What could be done for a little girl who couldn’t hear or see? How to break the barriers presented by a world of darkness and silence? What fate could await someone who could not have two senses?

The girl was restless. He kept screaming and throwing tantrums. The tantrums and scenes of despair occurred day after day.

The good news is that his parents’ plans did not include the idea of ​​giving up. They looked for Alexander Graham Bell himself (inventor of the telephone), who carried out various activities with young deaf people. He advised them to contact the Perkins Institute for the Blind in Watertown, Massachusetts. It was there that Hellen found the one who would be the light for the next 49 years of her life: Anne Sullivan.

One teacher, one world

Sullivan was just 20 years old and with a frustration-proof willingness to serve. The new governess was ready to lead Hellen out of that unfathomable world in which she was trapped. With incalculable patience, the new teacher first endeavored to help him control his character and for that he demanded that Hellen be isolated from her family. He took her to live in a small house where he instructed her in discipline rules.

Then he taught her the first words through the gestures of his hands. He made a wave with his palms and Hellen understood that this movement referred to water. Thus began the wonderful process of baptizing the world. The most significant thing is that they had broken the great barrier of isolation that separated them.

The most difficult thing was for the girl to learn to speak. The teacher used the Tadoma method to teach him. It was about her touching people’s lips as they spoke, or feeling their throats to feel the vibrations. Anne Sullivan spelled out those sounds in the palm of her hand, and so she learned the language of touch. Anne later taught him to read and write with Braille. This is how the girl learned French, German, Greek and Latin.

Hellen Keller began a truly moving journey of improvement. Not only did she become the first deafblind person to earn a college degree (with honors), but she became the most sought-after writer and speaker of her time. His work ” The story of my life ” has been one of the best sellers. Together with Anne she traveled through more than 39 countries and became personal friends with Charles Chaplin and Mark Twain. President Lyndon Johnson awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Hellen Keller was also an active socialist and fought tirelessly to improve the condition of the blind in her country and in the world. She died calm and happy at the age of 88. One of his most memorable phrases is: “Life is either a daring adventure or it is nothing.”

Something unthinkable for a girl who seemed condemned to silence.