PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A pioneer for deaf children nationwide, who had deep roots in Philadelphia, died last week, and the foundation that bears her name plans to carry on her legacy.
In her whole life, Mildred Oberkotter never knew a limitation, even as the world laid them out before her.
At age 2, in 1937, after a bad case of the flu, she was diagnosed as profoundly deaf. At the time, there were few resources for deaf children, but her parents had other plans.
“Paul and Louise, her parents, were very adamant that they wanted her to learn to talk and then, at the time, lip read, because they felt like that if she could talk and lip read, then she would fit in with their community,” said Dr. Teresa Caraway, CEO of the Philadelphia-based Oberkotter Foundation.
After leading successful careers in sales, computer programming and social work, Mildred’s parents started the foundation in 1985. It’s goal: Help deaf children reach the same heights Mildred did.
They consulted Mildred before creating it, Caraway said, “and she immediately said we need support programs and services so that children who are deaf can learn to listen and talk.”
It’s since provided more than $500 million to support projects toward that mission, changing outcomes for deaf children across the U.S.
“Mildie is really the heart and soul of the work that we do,” says Caraway.
“She was a lifelong learner. She was always seeking out to learn more as she very much embraced science and innovation.”
The foundation takes that love of learning nationwide to help deaf children.
“We are really looking forward to the future of how can we embrace and think about using innovation and technologies to truly overcome barriers for families,” Caraway said.
“Her message to families would be to dare to dream and that, whatever you wanted for your baby before they were ever born, those same dreams are possible and probable today.”
Mildred Oberkotter died last week, Thursday, at the age of 88.