Perseverance You may see yourself discovering new and surprising places in our universe, but despite having this ability you are stuck inside a decaying body. Stephen Hawking was born on "8 January" (21 Mcdaniel). He grew up with eccentric parents, Frank and Isobel Hawking. Stephen began his life as a strange and unique boy. Who has matured into a genius capable of understanding only things that few people have. With this brilliant mind he was crippled by a physically destructive disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. A disease that destroys the muscles and bones in your body, essentially decomposing your physical body. The combination of Stephen Hawking's eccentric childhood, background, and ability to deal with disability make him a leader in the scientific world. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original EssayWhen Stephen was ten years old he attended a private school called Westminster. Stephen was subsequently enrolled in a local private school called St. Albans (White Gribbin 7-8). The students were often afraid of Stephen, due to his bouts of babbling. His hysterical fits led to the lowest grade point average in his class. In later years he became extremely intelligent. Around this time he began to make friends in what the teachers called the "bright kids" group (White and Gribbin 9). After graduating from high school, Stephen chose to go to Oxford University where he would study cosmology. This decision was not easy. Stephen and his father often argued about what courses he would take (White and Griffin 41). After college, Stephen graduated and became one of the greatest and most respected scientists of the century. Stephen has been leading the world of science (cosmology) for years. Even before becoming a professional he led the company with his knowledge. In college Stephen was aware of his reputation as a lazy student, but he and the professors knew that he had true and natural intelligence (White and Gribbin 54). Stephen led his tutorial group completing nine problems while it took (6 students) to do three (White and Gribbin 48). Stephen fell into depression after being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Doctors believed the disease would destroy his body in two or three years, but Stephen has persevered to this day. Thanks to his determination and courage he was subsequently awarded numerous honorary degrees, the CBE in 1982 and Companion of Honor in 1989 (A Brief History of Mine). One of Stephen's friends once asked, "How did a man with a progressive wasting disease battle the ravages of his disability to overcome every obstacle in his path and succeed" (White and Gribbin 4)? Stephen Hawking's first great achievement was his General Relativity with quantum theory (A Brief History of Myself). Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Stephen later wrote a book titled A Brief History of Time published in April 1988. After finishing this book he toured the world giving lectures. During the 1990s he began researching and writing a second book. His second book was titled Stephen Hawking's Universe and was published in 1997. Stephen is currently touring around the world to talk about his new discoveries and his book. His unique childhood, background, and ability to navigate disability make him a leader in our world today. Stephen Hawking's desire and need to gain further knowledge of our universe will lead him.