The world over, American neurosurgeon, author, and politician Ben Carson is famed for his contribution to sciences especially his breakthrough work in 1987 after successfully separating conjoined twins. Yet behind this successful man are his parents, Sonya Carson and Robert Solomon Carson.
To understand how much support he got, Dr. Carson described his mother as ‘one of God’s greatest blessings to me’ who helped push him to realize his dreams.
In their lifetime, Sonya worked different jobs to support the family while his father, Robert was a World War II veteran and church minister.
Sadly, both parents are now deceased; Robert died first in 1992, followed by Sonya in 2017.
Let’s Meet Ben Carson’s Parents: Sonya Carson and Robert Solomon Carson
Ben Carson’s parents were together for only a few years before they parted ways around 1959. Though Carson has reportedly maintained his parents were married before parting ways, over the years, no marriage documents validate the marriage.
Regardless of his parent’s marital status, Ben and his older brother, Curtis grew up with their mother, Sonya.
Sonya Carson
She was born Sonya Robinson Copeland on December 24, 1928, into a large family made up of 24 siblings in Georgia. According to Dr. Ben Carson, Sonya met and got married to his father when she was 13 years old while he was 28.
However, some sources have debunked Dr. Carson’s report about his mother’s background. First, they state that Sonya was born as Johnnie and was one of 15 siblings. Per the same sources, she was older than 13 when she married Ben’s father.
Regardless of these claims which came about during Dr. Carson’s 2016 run for the US presidential ticket, his biographer maintained that Carson knew his mother as Sonya throughout his life.
Through Ben Carson’s 1990 autobiography, Gifted Hands, we learn that Sonya could not read because she dropped out of school in the 3rd grade. Regardless of this challenge, she had an impact on the lives of her two sons from a young age.
She inspired them with her words and strength in facing life’s challenges.
You may wonder where their father was; as mentioned Sonya and Robert separated when Ben and his brother were still little. It turns out Robert had another family and when Sonya discovered, she walked away from their union.
Moving on, Sonya faced many challenges to pull through while raising her boys. She moved the boys around; Sonya moved them away from their Detroit home so she could rent out the house. They moved to Boston and stayed with Sonya’s sister for some time and while there they became Seventh Day Adventists.
Years later, they returned to Detroit and Sonya worked three jobs to provide for the family.
His Mother Fought Depression to Train Ben and Curtis
Carson’s message on focus and determination is part of his life and politics. Yet, his mother whom he describes as the reason for his success almost k*lled herself during his childhood.
The incident happened in his formative years when Sonya had just left her ‘marriage’ and had to work to provide for herself and her sons.
Things got so bad and she fell into depression. Thankfully, she did not proceed and she pushed herself and her sons to be better people.
According to a Facebook update shared by Carson, Sonya passed on November 6, 2017. She was aged 88. Before her death, Sonya was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2011.
In a tribute to his mother, Carson noted that ‘if anyone had reason to make excuses, it was her, but she refused to be a victim…’
Dr. Carson and His Wife Created the Carson Scholars Fund in her Honor
The now-retired neurosurgeon and his wife, Candy have found ways of keeping Sonya’s legacy. They were inspired by Sonya’s life, determination, and principles and they founded the Carson Scholars Program and the Ben Carson Reading Project.
The first gives opportunity to exceptional students through the award of scholarships. The second encourages reading where children use the Ben Carso Reading Rooms.
Before Sonya’s passing, she used to attend events organized by the funds.
The Sonya Award is given to exceptional individuals.
See Also: Andrew Tate’s Parents: Let’s Meet Emory And Eileen Tate
Robert Solomon Carson
He served in the US Army during the Second World War.
In later years, Robert whose history is also shrouded in mystery like Sonya worked as a minister.
His son Dr. Carson described him as a minister of the Jimmy Swaggart variety while speaking in 1988. However, members of his church, the New Starlight think otherwise as they recall him as a good-looking man who was dedicated to attending Sunday service.
Focusing on his love life, Robert married late in life and this is his documented marriage. He got married sometime in the 80s to a woman named Mary.
His stepdaughter, Fairell Tubbs verified her mother and Robert Carson met in church and it was in his old age. She recalled him to be a clever man who later started drinking.
Focusing on his marriage with Mary, they were together for five years before his sad demise from Parkinson’s disease in 1992.
Robert Solomon Carson is buried in an unmarked grave in Detroit with the metal marker number 75.
