Became deaf, blind and mute: who is Helen Keller?

The most important feature that distinguishes Helen Keller from many people is that she has had visual, hearing, and speech disabilities since her infancy. Her achievements despite her obstacles make her a legendary personality. Helen Keller, who speaks five languages, goes out on bicycles and sailboats, swims and plays chess, and devotes herself to helping the disabled with her books...

Helen Keller, in full Helen Adams Keller, (born June 27, 1880, Tuscumbia, Alabama, U.S.—died June 1, 1968, Westport, Connecticut), American author and educator who was blind and deaf. Her education and training represent an extraordinary accomplishment in the education of persons with these disabilities.

Helen Keller was born on June 27, 1880, in Taskanbia, Alabama, United States. Her father is a journalist in a small city. He served in the Southern Army during the American Civil War. Helen Keller is a healthy and cute baby at birth. Before her illness, she began to walk and speak, albeit with a few words. However, she loses her sight, hearing, and speech abilities as a result of a fever lasting a few days when she was only 19 months old. This illness suddenly cuts her off from the outside world. It leads to her isolation as if she were locked in a dark prison cell, never to be freed again.

Helen's parents later contact Graham Bell. After the invention of the telephone, Graham Bell dedicates himself to educating deaf children. Bell tells the family that they can find a teacher by contacting the Perkins Institute and Massachusetts Home for the Deaf. Thus, they meet the legendary teacher Anne Sullivan. Anne Sullivan, who herself has low vision and was educated at the same institution, teaches Helen how to read, write and speak.

When Helen graduated from university in 1904, she became the first visually and hearing impaired person to earn a bachelor's degree. She received honorary doctorate degrees from many universities throughout her life.

Helen wrote her life story during her college education. Although it was not sold well at the beginning, this book called “The Story of My Life” later became a classic and was translated into 50 languages. Helen and Anne spent the following years traveling the world giving speeches. When they received an offer to make a movie from Hollywood, they immediately accepted and a movie about Helen's life was shot. The considerable money she earned from the conferences became income for the American Foundation for the Blind.

Helen Keller made a great contribution to improving the living conditions of families of visually impaired people with the donations collected. After World War II, Helen continued her work not only for the blind in America but for the blind all over the world.

In 1953, a documentary film was made about the life of Helen Keller. The documentary won the Oscar for Best Feature Film in 1955. After this movie, Helen started working on the book "The Teacher" again and published it in 1955.

Helen, who had a heart attack in 1961, distanced herself from social life. She was hosted at the White House by President Kennedy at the last event she attended. In 1964 she received the Medal of Freedom, the nation's largest civilian medal, from President Johnson.

She passed away on June 1, 1968.