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Leroy Columbo Research Paper

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LeRoy Columbo was known as the “World’s greatest lifeguard”. What many people don’t know though, is that he was profoundly deaf. He saved many people during his career. Naturally, he gained national attention. Columbo was born in Gavelston, Texas. He was born on December 23 in 1905. He was born to an Italian-American family. He was one of 8 children. His father died of a heart attack when he was a young boy. In 1912, at the age of 7, LeRoy suffered from spinal meningitis. This caused him to lose the use of both of his legs and his hearing. His brothers then helped him gain the use of his legs back by swimming. After this, he encountered his love of swimming. In 1917, Columbo enrolled in the Texas School for the Deaf in Austin, Texas. He learned ASL here and immersed himself in deaf culture. After staying at the school for 6 years, he came back home to Galveston. He started surfing here being one of the first citizens of Galveston to do so.
Columbo was an exceptional swimmer. In 1923, he became the first deaf person to join the elite club in Galveston called the Surf Toboggan Club. Within this club, he joined by swimming for 3 hours …show more content…

He is an example that hearing impaired people are capable of anything hearing people can do. He serves as a reminder that perseverance and passion go a long way. Columbo is also a hero in the hearing community. He saved 907 people's lives. That’s very heroic. I doubt Columbo got the appreciation he deserved, though. Many deaf heroes don't. He also serves as an example that the deaf can be heroes too and deserve just as much recognition as any hearing person. To me, Columbo inspires me to reach my fullest potential, just as he did. He makes me think that if he can do something this amazing and inspiring, and overcome being paralyzed at one point and not letting his hearing loss get in the way, then i have no excuses to not do amazing things also at some point in my

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