Ben Carson once said, “Through hard work, perseverance and a faith in God, you can live your dreams” (Goodreads, n.d.). Despite being a renowned neurosurgeon and later head of a federal agency, Carson came from humble beginnings, raised by a single mother in the inner city of Detroit. His story is shown in the 2009 film Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story, directed by Thomas Carter. The leading roles are played by Cuba Gooding Jr. as Dr. Carson, Kimberly Elise as his mother Sonya, and Aunjanue Ellis as his wife Candy (Carter, 2009). This movie was chosen for its portrayal of a tremendous story of perseverance through hardship and societal glass ceilings. As an African American from an illiterate family, Carson found his passion and studied for years to become a leading neurosurgeon, performing successful surgeries, and earning accolades that few in his field have been able to achieve. He has done this while struggling with his internal mental health and family challenges.
In the film, Dr. Carson is shown to push the boundaries of neurosurgery to help the families and people that he empathized with, even if could have cost him his career. He is a kind man, humble, and determined to be an excellent surgeon. His life was truly extraordinary given the obstacles he faced early on with his studies, issues with his temper, and the socio-economic barriers of being African American in a white-dominated field of prestigious academia and highly revolutionary surgery. In all these aspects, Dr. Carson could be viewed as a pioneer. While Dr. Ben Carson may be a controversial figure in modernity, his biographical life, as shown in Gifted Hands, is one of struggle, respect, and admiration as a man who overcame hardship and took risks to help others in need.
References
Carter, T. (Director). (2009). Gifted hands: The Ben Carson story! [Film]. TNT.
Goodreads. (n.d.). Benjamin Carson.