Dr Ben Carson's life is a real Cinderella tale of how one man overcame his tragic childhood to become one of the most highly sought-after pediatric Neurosurgeons in the world. His story has been the subject of numerous films and books and is a testament to a mother's dedication and the power of education.
Childhood Poverty and Academic Failure
Benjamin Solomon Carson was born in Detroit in 1951 the second son of Robert and Sonya Carson. His mother was 13 when she married 28-year-old Baptist minister Robert, but later discovered he was a bigamist and divorced him when Carson was eight and his brother Curtis 10.
"My mother was one of 24 children," said Carson. "She was raised in horrible conditions in rural Tennessee and got married to try to escape that environment...Then, with only a third grade education, she had to raise two young sons on her own."
Sonya held three cleaning jobs to make ends meet, but her sons' failing grades concerned her. Carson fell to the bottom of his class, was called 'dummy' by the other students and ignored by teachers at his predominantly white school. He also had a violent temper and aged 14, he plunged a knife into his friend's stomach after an argument over which radio station they should listen to, but luckily the knife got stuck in the boy's belt buckle. Carson was shocked by his actions and realised that if he continued as he was, he would end up "in jail, reform school or the grave."
Turning Point
Carson's mother decided to do something about her sons' educational underachievement. She restricted them to watching only two television programmes a week and sent them to Detroit Public Library, where they each had to read two books a week and submit a written report to her.
"She couldn't read, but we didn't know that, and she'd put a little check mark on them and act like she was reading them. She only had a third grade education, but she was horrified when she saw my report card... I was failing almost every subject."
Carson initially hated his mother's program, but soon started to enjoy reading as it allowed his imagination to soar. He gained so much knowledge that he began to amaze his classmates, who now came to him for answers, and also got the attention of his teachers who encouraged him (except one teacher who chastised the other students for letting the only black kid in the class become number one).
In just one year he graduated the top of his class and, his sights set on becoming a physician, won a scholarship to Yale University to study Psychology then went to Medical School, where he changed his focus to Neurosurgery after realising he had excellent hand-eye co-ordination.
Medical Career
In 1977, Carson became the first Black graduate to be accepted into the residency program at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, and was promoted to director of paediatric neurosurgery eight years later, becoming one of the youngest doctors to head such a division.
His most famous procedure was in 1987 when he led a team of 70 to separate seven-month old twins joined at the back of the head in what he described as "perhaps the most complex surgical feat in the history of mankind." Such operations had always resulted in the death of one or both twins, but after 22 hours of surgery Carson made medical history when both twins survived. 10 years later, he separated 11-month old Zambian twin boys joined at the top of the head in a 28-hour operation that had never been performed before, and again both survived without any brain damage.
Carson also pioneered a procedure to treat epilepsy that involves the removal of half the sufferer's brain which stops seizures. He is now one of few surgeons that specialise in separating conjoined twins and also treats brain injuries, brain tumours and other brain disorders.
Named 'Super Surgeon' and a 'Living Legend' by Time magazine and CNN and awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2008, Carson has written over 120 scientific publications and received over 50 honorary doctorates.
Personal Life, Faith and Philanthropy
Carson married Candy Rustin after they met at Yale University in 1975. They have three sons, Murray, 25, an engineer, Benjamin Jr., 23, a wealth management advisor and 22 year old Rhoeyce who is an accountant.
He is a devoted Christian and traces his conversion to the day he nearly killed his friend: "I was terrified... So I just locked myself up in the bathroom and I started praying and I said, 'Lord, I can't deal with this temper'. And I picked up my Bible and I started reading from the Book of Proverbs. That was the first day that I started doing it, and I've been doing it every day since then because it had all these verses in it about anger, and it seemed like they were all applicable to me. I've never had another problem with temper since that day."
Carson has written three best selling books including Gifted Hands which was turned into a film in 2009 starring Cuba Gooding Jr. He is in demand as a public speaker and has featured in magazines and documentaries to inspire others with his story and raise money for the various philanthropic projects he set up with his wife that's aimed at funding the education of disadvantaged children.
"The thing that I am probably most proud of is not all the medical accomplishments or honorary degrees... [but] the 100,000-plus letters that I have from young people throughout America and around the world whose lives have been changed by reading one of my books, or seeing me on television, or an interview in a magazine, and recognizing that they have the ability to define their own lives. If that's the legacy that I leave, I'll be very happy."
Sources:
- Academy of Achievement: Biography of Benjamin S. Carson M.D
- Academy of Achievement: Interview with Benjamin Carson, June 7, 2002
See also: Black Pioneers in Politics
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