His name was Laurent Clerc. ... Laurent Clerc was born in a small village near Lyons, France, on December 26, 1785. He was born hearing, but when he was one year old, he fell into a fire. As a result, he lost both his hearing and his sense of smell.

Is Thomas Gallaudet deaf?

He was kept very busy with work and his large family. Even though he left the school for the deaf, he continued to advocate and educate others on the issue. In September 1851, Gallaudet passed away from complications of the lung disease that he had suffered from since he was a child.

How old was Laurent Clerc when he became deaf?

Monsieur Laurent Clerc (1785 – 1869) Laurent Clerc was born on the day after Christmas in 1785, third of five children. He became deaf at one year old; family legend said it happened after Laurent fell into a fire.