Ben Carson

Voice 1:
Thank you for joining us for today’s Spotlight program. I’m Adam Navis.

Voice 2:
And I’m Liz Waid. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.

Voice 1:
Doctor Ben Carson is one of the best brain doctors in the world. He is the head of brain surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital. People come there from all around the world to receive treatment. Ben Carson also writes books. He travels around the world speaking to doctors and to school children. He is a caring and skilled professional. But his life could have been very different.

Voice 2:
Today’s Spotlight looks at the life and work of Doctor Ben Carson. We will see how even if someone’s life starts in one place it can end in another.

Voice 1:
Ben Carson was born in 1951. When he was eight years old, his father left. Ben’s mother, Sonya, became a single parent, with two young boys. They did not have much money. His mother worked three jobs to provide for them.

Voice 2:
During this time Ben began to fall behind in school. When he was eleven years old, he was at the very bottom of his class. Other students called him stupid. And he agreed with them. Ben did not have a good self image. He did not believe he was intelligent or ever would be.

Voice 1:
Like many good things, change came because of a mother. Sonya Carson found out her son Ben had dropped to last place in school. She decided her boys were watching too much television. So she limited the amount they watched. She made them do their extra homework from school. But she also made Ben and his brother read two other books each week. She then made them write a report on each book.

Voice 2:
Years later, Ben learned that his mother could not read these reports. In fact, Sonya Carson could not read at all. But she knew that education was important. She knew that it would be the way out of poverty for her boys.

Voice 1:
With his mother’s help and his own effort, Ben slowly moved to the head of the class. One day, he shocked his classmates. He answered the teacher’s questions. And he was correct! Soon, the same students who had insulted him were asking Ben for help.

Voice 2:
Now Ben was doing better in school, but he still struggled with his anger. Little things would make him so angry. One day, he and a friend were arguing over which radio station to listen to. His friend changed the station. Ben could not control himself. He took out a knife and attacked his friend.

Voice 1:
Ben’s friend was not hurt, but Ben was frightened. He entered the bathroom and locked the door. For the next several hours he read the Christian Bible. He looked for the knowledge and control he wanted. He knew that he needed this for the future. Finally, he left the room. He knew he would never again let another person’s words or acts control him. He would no longer be controlled by his anger.

Voice 2:
By the time he finished high school, Ben Carson was at the top of his class. With financial aid he began at Yale University. But Yale is a difficult school. He was once again at the bottom of his class.

Voice 1:
One night he was studying for a test. He needed to do well on the test to stay in school. He was tired and he did not know what to do. He turned to God and prayed about it. But he went to bed without any hope. He wanted to become a doctor, but he did not think it would ever happen. As he slept, he dreamt he was taking the test.