Louis Braille embodied the virtue of perseverance and contributed something revolutionary to the world:  a tactile alphabet that bears his name, making the production of books for the blind possible.  Young Louis opened windows on the world of learning to millions of the visually impaired. 
Braille’s is a story of tragic loss, determination, and resilience.  Born in the early nineteenth century, the son of a French leather worker, Louis lost his sight at age three.  Though his father had told him never to enter his shop without him, young Louis (bored) wandered in one day, found an awl and strap of leather, and began to create.  A slip of the hand sent the sharp awl flying and robbed him of sight in one eye.  An infection spread to the other eye, rendering him blind.  By four, Louis was compensating for the loss of his sight with other senses and cues; he had learned to do many household chores, and his spirit was undaunted.  But when he went to school, he longed for books that he could read.  A lecture on military cryptography (using dots for sounds) at a school for the blind in Paris was the inspiration for Louis's contribution.  By age twelve, Louis had invented an alphabet of raised dots that formed the basis of his system.  His alphabet today is virtually unchanged, and appropriately, it bears his name. Louis Braille is indeed a strong picture of perseverance in the face of adversity!