--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He was a great man. He taught himself how…" description: "\"He was a great man. He taught himself how to walk again, to write with his left hand. My father was a hero.\" — Mandy Patinkin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/032/mandy-patinkin-3117_father_he-was-a-great-man-he-taught-himself-how_1165615.jpg" --- # He was a great man. He taught himself how to walk again… ![“He was a great man. He taught himself how to walk again, to write with his left hand. My father was a hero.” quote by Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/032/mandy-patinkin-3117_father_he-was-a-great-man-he-taught-himself-how_1165615.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/032/mandy-patinkin-3117_father_he-was-a-great-man-he-taught-himself-how_1165615.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/032/mandy-patinkin-3117_father_he-was-a-great-man-he-taught-himself-how_1165615.jpg) > “He was a great man. He taught himself how to walk again, to write with his left hand. My father was a hero.” [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. His father overcame disability, becoming a heroic role model. **In simple terms:** Overcoming adversity inspires. Key Takeaway Learn from resilient role models. Themes heroism overcoming adversity family Mood proud reflective Type biographical inspirational When to use this quote - parental guidance - rehabilitation - career mentorship Key Concepts disability self‑teaching Questions to Reflect On - How does your father's story influence your actions? - What can you do to support others facing similar challenges? A Different Perspective Heroic narratives can overlook systemic barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Great man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-man/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [Christ sits in the body at the right hand of God the Father, but we do not hold that the right hand of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-damascus/christ-sits-in-the-body-at-the-right-hand-of-god-the-father-but-we-do/) [John of Damascus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-damascus/) > [Your God is not our God! Your God loves your people and hates mine! He folds his strong protecting arms lovingly about the paleface…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-seattle/your-god-is-not-our-god-your-god-loves-your-people-and-hates-mine-he/) [Chief Seattle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-seattle/) > [“Victory on earth lies in the hand of our Father, who art in Heaven.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-gugu-mona/victory-on-earth-lies-in-the-hand-of-our-father-who-art-in-heaven/) [Gift Gugu Mona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-gugu-mona/) > [Sometimes in someone's gestures you can notice how a parent is somehow inhabiting that person without there being any awareness of that. Sometimes you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/sometimes-in-someone-s-gestures-you-can-notice-how-a-parent-is/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [“I hear my father's voice faintly, over the telephone, answering for me in a soft drawl. "He's my son." He reaches out his hand,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/i-hear-my-father-s-voice-faintly-over-the-telephone-answering-for-me/) [Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/) > [“I leaned against the desk, ran my hand over my father’s paperwork, and picked up a pen. Turning around, I shoved it into my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-a-thompson/i-leaned-against-the-desk-ran-my-hand-over-my-father-s-paperwork-and/) [Shannon A. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-a-thompson/) > [My old man taught me a lot of stuff in his death that I don't even know if he would have been able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-prinze-jr/my-old-man-taught-me-a-lot-of-stuff-in-his-death-that-i-don-t-even/) [Freddie Prinze, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-prinze-jr/) > [“A writer is a man who has taught his mind to misbehave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/a-writer-is-a-man-who-has-taught-his-mind-to-misbehave/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“He was a tall, energetic, self-made man who had taught himself accountancy and banking through correspondence courses and had risen to his present position…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kuan-yew-lee/he-was-a-tall-energetic-self-made-man-who-had-taught-himself/) Kuan Yew Lee > [“Never forget,” I say, quietly now, “that if I wanted your job, I could have it. And never forget that the man you so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/never-forget-i-say-quietly-now-that-if-i-wanted-your-job-i-could-have/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [My old man taught me two things: 'Mind own business' and 'Always cut cards.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-old-man-taught-me-two-things-mind-own-business-and-always-cut-cards/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [The young man taught all he knew and more; The middle-aged man taught all he knew; The old man taught all that his students…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-ross/the-young-man-taught-all-he-knew-and-more-the-middle-aged-man-taught/) Arnold Ross > [ “\[My father,\] A man who had been taught only to destroy found it hard to create.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-hashimi/my-father-a-man-who-had-been-taught-only-to-destroy-found-it-hard-to/) [Nadia Hashimi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-hashimi/) > [Don't drown the man who taught you to swim. If you learned your trade or profession from the man, do not set up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/don-t-drown-the-man-who-taught-you-to-swim-if-you-learned-your-trade/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [I met a blind man, who taught me how to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aerosmith/i-met-a-blind-man-who-taught-me-how-to-see/) [Aerosmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aerosmith/) ## More by Mandy Patinkin > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [I was forced to lie to my father by doctors and relatives. I made that choice and agreed with them, and I will never,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-was-forced-to-lie-to-my-father-by-doctors-and-relatives-i-made-that/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [I just love, love going around and traveling and bringing the music to people. They just make you feel so happy that you came.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-just-love-love-going-around-and-traveling-and-bringing-the-music-to/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [In my prayers every day, which are a combination of Hebrew prayers and Shakespeare and Sondheim lyrics and things people have said to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/in-my-prayers-every-day-which-are-a-combination-of-hebrew-prayers-and/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [In the hands of good writers, you have the opportunity to present both sides of an opinion equally and that you leave it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/in-the-hands-of-good-writers-you-have-the-opportunity-to-present-both/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [If you told me I could only do one thing, I would choose live concerts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/if-you-told-me-i-could-only-do-one-thing-i-would-choose-live-concerts/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [I never publicise in advance what I'm going to be singing because I never quite know until I start. I often change my mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-never-publicise-in-advance-what-i-m-going-to-be-singing-because-i/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [The great love of my life is music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/the-great-love-of-my-life-is-music/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [I didn't think of myself as a singer. I'm an actor who recites words, and sometimes that happens to be on musical notes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-didn-t-think-of-myself-as-a-singer-i-m-an-actor-who-recites-words/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [Ted Cruz ,when he was running for president, was a huge 'Princess Bride' fan. He would quote the lines and, you know, trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/ted-cruz-when-he-was-running-for-president-was-a-huge-princess-bride/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [I can achieve that by personally relating the words that I am saying to something I have known in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-can-achieve-that-by-personally-relating-the-words-that-i-am-saying/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [If you stand too close to a painting - all you see are patches of color, if you stand too far back, you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/if-you-stand-too-close-to-a-painting-all-you-see-are-patches-of-color/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [All great men usually are awakened by the great women in their lives. No matter what friction is there, if that relationship was there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/all-great-men-usually-are-awakened-by-the-great-women-in-their-lives/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [I just want other people to know the kind of joy that I have in my life. I want other people to be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-just-want-other-people-to-know-the-kind-of-joy-that-i-have-in-my/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [The time it takes to get something done is the time it takes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/the-time-it-takes-to-get-something-done-is-the-time-it-takes/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) [Explore all 139 Mandy Patinkin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) ## More Father quotes > [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/) [John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/) > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [(knitting while on a motorcycle) "For several years she knitted in secret (my father would not approve; she was to concentrate on motorcycling and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-zimmermann/knitting-while-on-a-motorcycle-for-several-years-she-knitted-in/) [Elizabeth Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-zimmermann/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [My parents were not musical, and they were not effervescent people; everything was very quiet. The music that I played was loud; it used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/my-parents-were-not-musical-and-they-were-not-effervescent-people/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [“My father called twice and left a voicemail—who does that?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-erickson/my-father-called-twice-and-left-a-voicemail-who-does-that/) [Megan Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-erickson/) > [My father longed for a better life for us, and when I was nine he got a job as a heart surgeon in Belfast.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-melua/my-father-longed-for-a-better-life-for-us-and-when-i-was-nine-he-got/) [Katie Melua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-melua/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [The old men of the village of Mahotière say that the Mistress of the Water is a mulatto woman. At midnight she comes out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-roumain/the-old-men-of-the-village-of-mahoti-re-say-that-the-mistress-of-the/) [Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/) > [“I don’t know. We all have to bear things, Ari. All of us. Your father has to bear the war and what it did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-know-we-all-have-to-bear-things-ari-all-of-us-your-father-has/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“This was, I sometimes thought, the last gift my father gave me. And the best: His death stood out as the supreme-o excuse for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-stahl/this-was-i-sometimes-thought-the-last-gift-my-father-gave-me-and-the/) [Jerry Stahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-stahl/) > [My father was very encouraging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-nutini/my-father-was-very-encouraging/) [Paolo Nutini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-nutini/) > [I'm a strange mixture of my mother's curiosity; my father, who grew up the son of the manse in a Presbyterian family, who had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/i-m-a-strange-mixture-of-my-mother-s-curiosity-my-father-who-grew-up/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [It is a sweet thing that we serve a dissatisfied God who has destinations in mind for us that we would never choose for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/it-is-a-sweet-thing-that-we-serve-a-dissatisfied-god-who-has/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [Liesel observed the strangeness of her foster father's eyes. They were made of kindness, and silver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/liesel-observed-the-strangeness-of-her-foster-father-s-eyes-they-were/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) [Browse all 19,784 Father quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He was a great man. He taught himself how to walk again, to write with his left hand. 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