|
|
|
|
Sue Thomas (agent)
|
| |
|
| |
Sue Thomas is an American woman who became the first deaf person to work as an undercover investigator doing lip-reading of suspects for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
She was born May 24, 1950 in Youngstown, Ohio. At the age of 18 months Sue Thomas suffered an instant and total loss of sound. Her parents were told that Sue would never amount to anything and they should put her in an institution. It took years with speech therapists to develop her voice.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Sue Thomas (agent)' Start a new discussion about 'Sue Thomas (agent)' Answer questions from other users |
Encyclopedia
Sue Thomas is an American woman who became the first deaf person to work as an undercover investigator doing lip-reading of suspects for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
She was born May 24, 1950 in Youngstown, Ohio. At the age of 18 months Sue Thomas suffered an instant and total loss of sound. Her parents were told that Sue would never amount to anything and they should put her in an institution. It took years with speech therapists to develop her voice. While learning to communicate, Sue Thomas became an expert lip reader.
As the only deaf child in her public school district, Sue Thomas was misunderstood by her teachers. Although she sat in the front row so she could see the lips of her teachers, much of what happened in the classroom was lost to her. Kids tormented her in the hallways and on the playground. As her world began to spiral downward, Sue Thomas spent more and more time at the skating rink. With the help of determined coach, 7-year-old Sue Thomas became the youngest Ohio State Champion free-style skater in skating history.
In spite of the difficulties in the classroom, Sue Thomas graduated from Springfield College in Massachusetts with a degree in Political Science and International Affairs. After months of job searching, Sue Thomas heard that the FBI was looking for deaf people. She was hired to work in undercover surveillance reading lips for the FBI agents in Washington DC.
In 2002 the TV series Sue Thomas: F.B. Eye was released. Inspired by Sue Thomas' unique job for the FBI, the weekly drama helps to bring more awareness to the lives and abilities of those with physical challenges. The series stars hard-of-hearing actress Deanne Bray as Sue Thomas and is loosely based on her experiences. At its peak, the series was watched by more than 2.5 million viewers in the United States, and was syndicated to 60 nations.
In 2001, on her way to a speaking engagement in Dallas, Sue felt a numbness creeping up from her fingers to the top of her head. Sue managed to deliver her speech to 10,000 people before going to the emergency room. It was her first experience with Multiple Sclerosis, but not her last. Living with MS has become one of Sue's greatest challenges. "Fighting it is a waste of precious energy," she says. "It is only by embracing my MS that I learn life's greatest lessons."
When not on the road speaking, Sue Thomas lives in Vermont with her Hearing/Special Skill dog, 'Katie'. Knowing first-hand the life-changing impact of these incredible canines, she is in the planning stages of building a Dog Training Center called "The Levi Foundation."
External links
|
| |
|
|
