Deaf since childhood, a young girl from Monte Urano, in the province of Fermo, graduates in Educational Sciences and becomes an example of resilience, tenacity and courage.
Benedetta Santarelli, 20 years old, has been deaf since she was a child.
But today she can rejoice at having achieved her goal, the three-year degree at the University of Urbino, and sends her message, especially to those who, like her, encounter a thousand obstacles in life: "never give up, accept yourself. Live life to the fullest maximum, setting yourself some objectives".
Benedetta experienced life's difficulties very early on.
As a child, in fact, meningitis took away her hearing and her path became all uphill.
But she never gave up.
"I have a cochlear implant in my left ear, I have been deaf since the age of three. - She says - If all this had not happened, I am convinced that I would not be who I am now, I would not be so strong".
"Up until high school I found support teachers who always supported me. -Adds the 20-year-old -Thanks also to Claudia, my elementary school teacher, who helped me a lot".
Then came the challenge of graduating: "I said to myself: I can do it. I'm tough. I've always been like this, but from high school I started to be a little more relaxed and understand what I wanted to do in life".
Graduation objective achieved: "on the day of the proclamation I was very excited. - She recalls - I have encountered difficulties, I won't deny, especially during the mask period. I mainly read lips, it wasn't easy to follow the lessons".
"The message to those who are going through a difficult time? Don't give up, - says Benedetta - even when you don't feel up to it. Now I would like to be an educator, to help children with the same problems as me, but not only that. In the meantime, I will choose the course for the master's degree I would like to travel and meet new people."
Reproduction reserved © Copyright ANSA