Overcoming Adversity: Harriet Tubman's Story

Overcoming Adversity / Harriet Tubman’s Story Some people become tired after playing soccer for half an hour but imagine passing out without any warning, not being able to move or feel anything for hours, and being able to hear color unintentionally. More than 65 million people around the world have epilepsy and can occur because of a genetic disorder or a brain injury, such as trauma or a stroke. One important person who had this was Harriet Tubman, a woman who helped over 300 slaves escape in her Underground Railroad. Tubman is an inspiration for not only African Americans, but for people with disabilities who never gave up. Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder and can lead to death if not taken care of but this didn't stop Harriet Tubman (Svirven). As stated in “Harriet Tubman”, as a teenager, Tubman was taken in as a slave, solely because of her skin color. When a runaway slave was seen running from it’s overseer, Tubman was asked to restrain the runaway. Tubman refused and with that, so was her ability to live normal. The man threw a two pound brick on her head, leaving her with a seizure. She was sent to bed rest of two days until working. While working, Tubman slowly

Nevertheless, it’s still a disorder and they are about 200,000 cases yearly. People who suffer from epilepsy have trouble realizing that just because they assume that they have a set amount of months to live but in reality, you can live up to fifty depending on how severe your condition is (Diagnostic). Tubman describes these epileptic moments as: “...bright lights, colorful auras, disembodied voices, states of tremendous anxiety, and fear alternating with exceptional hyperactivity and fearlessness… are classic symptoms of temporal lobe damage” (Oertel 14). Also stated by Oertel, Tubman's brain injury helped her religiously. She grew up very spiritual because she felt as her condition opened up “a door to