Saved 2500 Jewish children from the Holocaust

Irena Sendler was a true hero of World War II. Despite the danger to her own life, she smuggled Jewish infants out of the Warsaw ghetto by hiding them in the bottom of a toolbox and a burlap sack in the back of her truck. She even trained a dog to bark when she entered and left the ghetto to cover up the noise of the children.

During her time working as a Plumbing/Sewer specialist, Irena managed to save an astonishing 2500 Jewish children from certain death. But her selflessness and bravery did not go unnoticed. She was eventually caught by the Nazis and brutally beaten, sustaining broken legs and arms as a result.

Despite this, Irena’s spirit remained unbroken. After the war, she kept a record of the names of all the children she had helped save in a glass jar, which she buried in her backyard. She tirelessly worked to locate any surviving parents and reunite families, but unfortunately, most had been killed in the Holocaust. The children were placed into foster homes or adopted.

In 2007, Irena was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, but unfortunately, she was not selected. Al Gore won the prize for his work on global warming. Despite not winning the prize, Irena’s actions during WWII will always be remembered as a true act of selflessness and heroism. Her legacy lives on as a shining example of what one person can do to make a difference in the face of unimaginable evil.