Against All Odds - The Miracle Worker

One of the greatest stories on victory and success of the 19th century must be that of Annie Mansfield Sullivan, the famous educator who was often fondly known as the "Miracle Worker".

Annie Sullivan was born Johanna Sullivan on April 14, 1866 in Agawam, Massachusetts to impoverished Irish immigrants. With two other siblings, Annie and her family lived in a small hovel in dire poverty.

Growing up, Annie was often subjected to the physical abuse by her alcoholic father. At the age of five, trachoma struck Annie, leaving her almost blind. When Annie was nine, her mother died and her father abandoned the children. They were then shuttled between relatives.

Eventually, the relatives sent her and Jimmie, her younger, tuberculosis-stricken brother to the Almshouse in Tewksbury, which was a state home for the poor. Jimmie soon died in the infirmary.

Annie underwent a series of operations to fix her eyesight but these attempts were not effective. She returned to the Tewksbury Almshouse against her will.

Four years later in October 1880, she convinced state inspectors to send her to the Perkins Institution for the Blind in South Boston. Annie's sight was partially restored after a series of surgeries and with the help of glasses. In 1886, she graduated as class valedictorian in 1886.

In March 1887, the 21 year-old Annie was sent by the school's director to Tuscumbia, Alabama as governess and teacher to a seven-year-old deaf-blind and mute girl. The student was Helen Adams Keller.

Helen has been a very difficult child with bad behaviors and temper tantrums. The epiphany came for Helen Keller one summer day. Through repeated use of the manual alphabet, as well as much patience and love, Annie finally managed to reach Helen. Her greatest achievement was to become the first person successfully teach a deaf-blind and mute child.

Helen Keller attended Radcliffe College in Cambridge and wrote her autobiography, entitled "The Story of My Life", which became a famous novel.

Helen Keller became one of the founders of the American Foundation for the Blind as well as a nationally renowned leader for women's rights. Annie accompanied her around the world on her lecture tours.

Annie received several recognitions from various foundations for her tireless teaching and commitment to her student. Her failing eyesight continued to deteriorate until her death on October 20, 1936.

Although Annie was legally blind, what she had accomplished in her life is definitely much more than most able bodied people such as you and I had done.