Helen Keller's teacher was also her companion.
Johanna Mansfield Sullivan Macy ( April 14 , 1866 -- October 20 , 1936 ) , better known as Anne Sullivan , was an American teacher , best known for being the instructor and lifelong companion of Helen Keller . Helen Keller . The story of how Keller 's teacher , Anne Sullivan , broke through the isolation imposed by a near complete lack of language , allowing the girl to blossom as she learned to communicate , has become widely known through the dramatic depictions of the play and film The Miracle Worker .