The Athlete
The tragic death of Margot Simond has created an emptiness in the lives of her family and friends that fills with memories but never heals. Her death is tragic but her life will remain inspiring not only to French women and girls but to women and girls everywhere. She pursued her dream in spite of hardship, disappointment, and danger. She loved to ski. Skiing is one of those sports that allow one to be free, to fly like a bird without leaving the ground in the beautiful outdoors of nature. The hardship, disappointment, and danger that come with pursuing her dream of being a champion did not discourage Margot Simond.
The Woman who Loved Flying Machines
She reminds me of Amelia Mary Earhart. Her life too was cut short because she loved to fly just as Margot life was cut short because she loved to ski. Both died doing what they loved doing. So in years their lives were cut short, yet both their lives were fulfilled, complete, their dreams fully realized. Another similarity between the two women was to pursue the limits of their endeavors. Amelia wanted to fly far and Margot wanted to ski fast.
The Scientist
Marie Curie is another hero who died pursuing her dream of exploring new regions of physics and chemistry. Her work was physically demanding and ultimately fatal, but she discovered polonium and radium that would be used to cure disease. She won two Nobel Prizes in physics and chemistry.
What killed these women was their heroic pursuit of extending their physical and intellectual abilities—to conquer space and time and to understand nature in a way that saves lives. Their deaths were tragic, but their lives were heroic. They were loved and continue to be loved for who they were and for their heroism. Heroes are not made without danger. And the lives and deaths of these three women remind all women and girls that they too can be heroes because heroes are not born but made, and that all endeavors for self-realization are open to them as long as they are willing to accept the hardship, disappointment, and danger that come with pursuing them. To be a hero requires a willingness to pay a big price. Margot Simond, Amelia Mary Earhart, and Marie Curie paid that price and became heroes to us.
Three Heroes
Margot Amelia Marie
