Today is Wilma Rudolph’s birthday! She would have been 68 years old. She was one of 22 children! She had a very traumatic childhood. Her mother spent several years nursing Wilma through one illness after another: measles, mumps, scarlet fever, chicken pox and double pneumonia. But, she had to be taken to the doctor when it was discovered that her left leg and foot were becoming weak and deformed. She was told she had polio, a crippling disease that had no cure. The doctor told Mrs. Rudolph that Wilma would never walk. But Mrs. Rudolph would not give up on Wilma.
Despite her struggle, Wilma became the first American woman to win 3 gold medals in the Olympics. She won the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash, and ran the anchor on the 400-meter relay team. I love this quote by her: The feeling of accomplishment welled up inside of me, three Olympic gold medals. I knew that was something nobody could ever take away from me, ever.
What is it that you own that no one can ever take from you? Is it your degrees? Your children? Your awards? Your spirit? Whatever it is, celebrate it. Cherish it. Share it. And most of all fly with it proudly as a banner for others to see. For others to see and maybe, just maybe it will inspire someone to dream, dare, and fly higher than they thought she ever would. Believe me, I am flying with mine!
For a very long time, no one told African American women that they could fly, so there are very few of them as commercial pilots. This website is for inspiring women to fly. Flying being defined as succeeding. Succeeding defined however you decide. We are simply here to tell you sistergirlfriend, YOU CAN FLY!
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