Harold Krents

Harold Eliot "Hal" Krents (1944–45 — January 12, 1987) was a blind American lawyer, author, and activist. He became known for the two movies based on his life: To Race the Wind, based on his autobiography, and Butterflies Are Free based on a play of the same name.

Early life Krents grew up in Scarsdale, New York. He was legally blind from birth but completely lost his limited vision at the age of nine when his retinas detached after a football injury. When the local school would no longer allow him to attend, his mother learned braille herself and homeschooled him until the local school would accept him back into mainstream classes. He attended Scarsdale High School where he was a violinist in the school orchestra, and was president of the school's General Organization. After Harvard College, Krents attended Harvard Law School. During his first year at Harvard Law School Krents's draft status was reclassified to 1-A, meaning available to serve.

In 1982 Krents received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of South Carolina. Krents died at age 42 on Jan 12, 1987 of a brain tumor in Calvary Hospital in the Bronx.

Krents authored an autobiography, To Race the Wind, in 1972. To Race the Wind was adapted into a teleplay in 1980, directed by Walter Grauman and starring Steve Guttenberg as Harold Krents.