Charl de Villiers became deaf as a child after taking antibiotics in a South African hospital. As an adult he moved to Texas to escape the unrest and violence in his homeland. When co-workers looked down on him, misinterpreting his deafness as inability or ignorance, de Villiers decided to make a statement. He planned to becomes the first deaf person to sail around the world alone. And he did just that, leaving from Palacios, Texas and returning 289 days later. Several hundred people greeted him on his return, dowsing him with champagne, and hoisting him up on their shoulders. A documentary called Silent Voyager tells the de Villiers story.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Sailing Around the World
Charl de Villiers became deaf as a child after taking antibiotics in a South African hospital. As an adult he moved to Texas to escape the unrest and violence in his homeland. When co-workers looked down on him, misinterpreting his deafness as inability or ignorance, de Villiers decided to make a statement. He planned to becomes the first deaf person to sail around the world alone. And he did just that, leaving from Palacios, Texas and returning 289 days later. Several hundred people greeted him on his return, dowsing him with champagne, and hoisting him up on their shoulders. A documentary called Silent Voyager tells the de Villiers story.
