Michael Bienenstock

Originally from Mount Vernon, New York (Go Knights), I faced a significant challenge at the age of 13 when I lost my hearing to measles. However, I refused to let this obstacle define me. Instead, I persevered and eventually earned a Ph.D. in Special Education from the University of Maryland. My career in education, particularly my work as a teacher at a school for the Deaf in New York and as a college professor training teachers to work with people who are deaf or hard of hearing, has had a profound impact on the deaf community.

After retiring from teaching, I began writing Love and Hope Have No Borders in the spring of 2023. This book is a culmination of my life’s experiences, a testament to the power of love and hope in overcoming life’s most significant challenges. In October of that year, I suffered a cardiac arrest with Vtach while at a gym. I should be dead, but since I was at a gym, 3 men worked on me to revive me after 4 minutes, breaking 13 ribs and using a defibrillator. The next day, I had triple bypass surgery and added a pacemaker. When I woke up, I told myself that I was lucky to have survived, and that some higher being must have wanted me to finish the book.