Sarah Boury is an overcomer. She's been climbing barriers since birth. Boury was born with a rare birth ailment. By the time she was, 14 months old, she became deaf due to a high fever and reaction to medication. At age 7, she spoke her first sentence, after that she had learned to read people’s lips. That didn't stop her though. Sarah attended mainstream public schools for much of her K-12 education, using sign language interpreters and her own ability to read people’s speech. Defying all odds All of that hard work and determination culminated with her walking across the stage on May 7 at the UNI graduation ceremony and receiving her college degree. She did it. She conquered the obstacles and achieved one of her lifelong dreams.