Mighty Women Series: Women Who Inspire Us featuring Audrey Hepburn

Today’s post in the Mighty Women Series comes from Ella who writes over at Typical Mummy. As a part time teacher and full time mum, Ella still finds time to write about her family’s adventures. I’m delighted to have her feature as part of this series, especially as she has chosen a favourite of my own.

Audrey Hepburn by Ella at Typical Mummy

A Drama Teacher choosing Audrey Hepburn as an inspirational woman may seem like something of a cliché, but Audrey Hepburn was so much more than an actress. It is true that she is one of the most iconic females of all time and was one of the most beautiful, stylish and elegant women that ever lived. Her sparkling acting career was full of success, but that success did not come without pure determination and hard-work and her life was also tainted by sadness, poverty and disappointment.

Audrey is obviously most well-known for her acting career and her face is instantly recognisable all over the world. But as well as being a Hollywood superstar she saw her most important ‘job’ as that of devoted mother. She had many miscarriages but did give birth to two sons, Luca and Sean. She took her sons to work with her and when they were too old for this and had to go to school she eventually stopped working so that she could spend time with them and dedicate as much time to them as she could. It wasn’t beneath her to do the school-run, help them with their homework or to pop to the shop to buy milk – she wanted their lives to be as normal as possible.

She is quoted as having said, “When I get married I want to be really married” but unfortunately her 2 marriages ended in divorce – her son thinks that this could be because her father left her and her mother when she was 6 so she found it difficult to trust men. Ironically, she never married the man she called “the love of my life,” Robert Wolders, but she stated that she considered them married, just not officially, and stayed with him for nearly thirteen years until she died, aged 63.

It is with Robert Wolders that she embarked on her second career – the one that she is less famous for but perhaps the most worthwhile and rewarding. She dedicated the last years of her life to UNICEF as “Global Goodwill Ambassador” and worked tirelessly for them, travelling around the world to war-torn and poverty-stricken countries such as Ethiopia, Bangladesh and Sudan, concentrating mostly on improving the lives of children. When she wasn’t travelling around the world she worked to promote UNICEF’S work – giving many speeches and interviews, testifying before the US Congress, launching UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children reports, taking part in the World Summit for Children and hosting International Children’s Award ceremonies.

Audrey felt the need to devote her time to UNICEF so fully because she received food and medical help from them after World War II. She spent most of the war in the city of Arnherm in the Netherlands, which experienced one of the longest German occupations of all European countries – it was one of the first countries to be invaded and one of the last to be liberated. During this time, Audrey became extremely malnourished and her family ate dog biscuits and tulip bulbs when there was nothing left to eat (This malnourishment, and the fact that she was unable to train due to the occupation, took away her dream of becoming a Prima Ballerina as it impaired some of her muscular growth and development, which was one of the biggest disappointments of her life but made her more determined to work hard to succeed as a model and actress.) When she was appointed “Goodwill Ambassador” for UNICEF in 1989 she said, “I can testify to what UNICEF means to children, because I was among those who received food and medical relief right after World War II. I have a long-lasting gratitude and trust for what UNICEF does.” Her energy and determination to help others so relentlessly, even when she was ill and dying from cancer, is so inspiring. One of her most famous quotes is, “Nothing is impossible, the word itself says I’m possible.” and I think this sums up her inspirational life. Her determination, selflessness, gratitude and hard-work are an example to us all of how to live a full and rewarding life.

I couldn’t agree more!

To hear more from Ella check out her blog here.

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