Helen was born on June 27, 1880 in Alabama. Helen became ill when she was not even two years old. While she was ill, she became deaf and blind. She was very smart though and she copied everyone. Sometimes she tried to make herself look like her father. She would put on his glasses and hold up a newspaper. Helen would not let anyone comb her hair or touch her. Her clothes were always dirty. On March 3, 1887, Anne Sullivan, a teacher of the deaf and blind, came to help Helen. She was from Boston. Helen would call that day "the birthday of her soul." Anne Sullivan would give Helen something and then spell it. Every meal there was a fight. Miss Sullivan was strict but kind. One day Miss Sullivan had an idea. She was near a water pump. Miss Sullivan began pumping water. Then she spelled out w-a-t-e-r. Helen understood that water was a word. Then Helen wanted to know the name of everything. Miss Sullivan ran to the house with Helen and told everyone what had happened. Helen's whole family was very happy. Her mother said a miracle had happened that day. From 1880 to 1968, Helen learned to read and write and she learned to speak. She went to school and she even graduated from Radcliffe College with honors. Miss Sullivan helped Helen all through school. They were together almost fifty years. Helen wrote five books. Helen died on June 1, 1968.