Posts Tagged ‘fearless’

We do what we have to do to get by.

History is filled with examples of people who unexpectedly triumphed while living that mantra—perhaps none so unlikely as Hessie Donahue.

As a young girl growing up in Worcester, Mass., Hessie loved going to boxing matches with her father. So maybe it was inevitable that when boxing instructor Charles Converse came to town in 1891, the 18-year-old would fall for him. They soon married and Charles opened a local boxing school.

Since she knew the sport well, her husband frequently asked Hessie to check out the boxers’ moves to ensure they weren’t making any mistakes. And sometimes, she’d even don the gloves and spar with Charles. It’s not as crazy as it sounds. At nearly six feet tall and about 160 pounds, Hessie could handle herself.

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