On June 23, 1940, Wilma Rudolph was born in St. Bethlehem, Tenn. When she turned 4, a disease called polio crippled her left leg. Her family saw her through the disease, learning a massage treatment to help her.

It worked, and Rudolph was then able to remove her leg brace and special shoe. She could walk normally again. After this major obstacle, Rudolph became interested in running and ran races often. In 1960, she even went on to win three gold medals in the Olympics. Her sunny outlook on life and perseverance to beat her disability continues to inspire others to stick with a goal, no matter what.

Amie Bisignano is a teacher in the Auburn School District.

She can be reached at amiebiz11@yahoo.com