Dr. Ben Carson Posts Powerful Tribute In Honor Of Late Mother

In a Facebook post on Monday, Dr. Ben Carson shared the sad news that his mother, Sonya Carson, has passed away.

Sonya was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 2011. During his 2016 presidential campaign, Carson – who is now the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development – often spoke of his mother’s work ethic and her unrelenting refusal to accept government handouts. In December 2016 he said, “She was a little different than a lot of people around, who were always saying, ‘You got two boys. You really don’t need to work’. She just didn’t like the idea of being dependent.”

Sonya instilled that same work ethic in her sons. In the announcement of her passing, Carson wrote, “If anyone had a reason to make excuses, it was her, but she absolutely refused to be a victim and would not permit us to develop the victim mentality either.”

He also shared that, whenever he or his brother attempted to make excuses, Sonya would quote the poem “Yourself to Blame” by Mayme White Miller. The poem reads:

If things go bad for you
And make you a bit ashamed
Often you will find out that
You have yourself to blame

Swiftly we ran to mischief
And then the bad luck came
Why do we fault others?
We have ourselves to blame

Whatever happens to us,
Here is what we say
“Had it not been for so-and-so
Things wouldn’t have gone that way.”

And if you are short of friends,
I’ll tell you what to do
Make an examination,
You’ll find the faults in you…

You are the captain of your ship,
So agree with the same
If you travel downward
You have yourself to blame

What a powerful – and 100% correct – message. Carson’s life is a prime example of the rewards of hard work and perseverance. He certainly could have taken the easy way out, but with the guidance from his mother he opted not to. President Trump made the right decision appointing Carson to head up HUD, where hopefully he can instill his work ethic in others just as his mother did him.

Share this if you’re praying for Dr. Ben Carson and his family during this difficult time.