Prominent people with disabilities. Despite severe illness, they succeeded

Society is accustomed to media portraying people with disabilities as weak, helpless people who demand pity. But real examples of physically handicapped people who have achieved incredible success show quite the opposite result. To date, a disabled person who has achieved success is a real hero. Not only does he not need help, but he himself can provide it to many who wish.

Even for an ordinary person, achieving success in one or another field of activity can be quite difficult. And a disabled person, despite the inadequate attitude of some others, as well as incomplete physical capabilities, in order to achieve a goal similar to a healthy person, must make twice or even three times more efforts. But it's worth it, after crossing all life's obstacles, these people will become a good example and will be able to motivate absolutely everyone. To better understand the scale of the greatness of these, it is worth recalling some of them.

Nick Vujicic

Born on December 4, 1982 in a family of emigrants from Serbia. Has a rare genetic disease - tetraamelia. This disabled person is deprived by nature of both arms and legs. Nick's only limb is one small foot 10-15 cm long with two fingers that have grown together. All the parents could do to help their child was to persuade the doctors to perform an operation on him to separate the fused fingers. For a little boy, such a surgical intervention was enough, and as a result he achieved tremendous success in life.

At first, with incredible efforts, he learned to print, and then he began to write motivational ones, which were very popular not only among patients, but also among healthy people. Worried about his appearance, this strong-willed disabled person mastered the principles of positive psychology. He came to the conclusion that all complexes and fears occur solely because of negative thoughts. By clearing the mind, you can completely change everything in life.

Today, Nick Vujicic works as a motivational speaker, invited to speak on all continents. Basically, his speeches are listened to by disabled people and people who, for some reason, have lost their meaning in life. In addition to success, a courageous disabled person has other joys in life - a beautiful wife and an absolutely healthy son.

Anna McDonald

British writer, born in 1952. Unlike Nick, Anna did not even receive support from her parents as a child. Due to careless handling of the mother, just a few days after birth, the baby received a head injury. Because of her, the disabled girl became intellectually handicapped. Noticing the growing mental retardation of the child, relatives gave her to an orphanage. In this institution, the girl, as she noticed her dissimilarity to healthy people, and immediately began to actively work on herself. The task was difficult, because even the teachers did not help her. Having found the alphabet on the shelves, the girl studied the meaning of one letter for months. Having learned to read, Anna did not miss any of the books that fell into her hands.

Having literally formed the talent of a writer in herself with great difficulty, already a young girl wrote a memoir called "Anna's Exit", describing her many difficulties on the way to growing up. The memoirs achieved worldwide recognition, and subsequently they were filmed. As a result, a disabled woman became a welcome guest on foreign channels and significantly improved her financial condition. After that, Anna Macdonald wrote a large number of books, successfully married and began to conduct active charity work with people who also have certain physical and mental disabilities. About her work, the writer says:

“Of course, all disabled people can find their calling in life, for this they only need help to gain faith in themselves”

Christy Brown

This Irish artist became the subject of the biopic My Left Foot, which received an Oscar statuette shortly after the film adaptation. Christy is an unusual disabled person, he was born mentally handicapped, and the only ending he could move was his left leg. Native people, and especially the boy's mother, surrounded him with full love and attention. The boy was often read fairy tales, explained the need for each action, told about what was happening. Such regular work has made it possible to achieve significant success in the development of the child - the disabled person has become much more intelligent.

One day Christy's little sister accidentally dropped the chalk, and the five-year-old boy, with incredible effort, picked it up and began to drive it across the floor. Noticing new skills, the disabled person was immediately sent by his parents to writing and drawing lessons. A dozen years later, Christy Brown has achieved incredible heights - his wonderful, talented paintings were actively bought up by art connoisseurs, and interesting, instructive and motivational articles were published in the most popular newspapers in Ireland. This disabled person, who could control only one leg, and then, with his left, became a role model even for outstanding contemporary artists. This case, in addition to the power of working on oneself, also testifies to the importance of the family. Disabled people should be surrounded by love and attention from the very childhood, and it is necessary to develop a child who has physical or mental disabilities as much as possible, spending all their free time on this.

Oscar Pistorius

Without legs, Oscar Pistorius achieved outstanding success in sports. The young man was disabled from birth, but this did not stop him from achieving his goal - to move. Through incredible work, Oscar became a runner-athlete, who was even allowed to compete with opponents who were completely physically fit.

Now Pistorius is actively promoting sports around the world, supporting people with disabilities in their desire to engage in physical competitions, and organizing various programs in this direction. In fact, he has become the most successful disabled athlete, who constantly confirms that physical problems cannot be an obstacle on the way to the desired goal.

I thank God for my injuries

who helped me find myself

your work and your God.

H. Keller (deaf-blind writer)

The most famous and talented disabled people in history.

We would like to say a few words about those for whom physical limitations did not become an obstacle to fulfilling their dreams, about famous people with disabilities and people with disabilities who have achieved success.

It was much more difficult for them to realize their dreams than for most of us, since the obstacle was all sorts of physical disabilities, congenital or acquired.

But this did not prevent them from realizing what they dreamed of, on the contrary, it was this that prompted them to act against all odds in order to prove to themselves and the world that they, too, can live a fulfilling life. And the more striking example they can serve for us, for those who do not have these restrictions.

The story of the first blind pilot

Miles Hilton-Barber, the world's first blind pilot, is one such example of disabled people who have rightfully achieved success.

His difficult path to a dream, in my opinion, is a vivid illustration of how sometimes it is necessary to break the vicious circle of limited ideas that hold back our inner forces, preventing them from breaking through and creating their own reality. Miles Hilton-Barber was born in the family of a pilot (1948, Zimbabwe), and when he grew up, he decided to follow in his father's footsteps.

He is trying to enter the flight school, however, he does not pass the medical examination for vision. And three years later, he is told the terrible news that due to a genetic predisposition, he will soon go blind. And so it happened - by the age of thirty, Miles had completely lost his sight.

Start with a dream

It is even difficult to imagine what was going on in his soul at the same time - a man in the prime of his life was cut off from a full life, and the path to his dream, as it seemed to him then, was forever closed.

Miles moved to England where he worked at the Royal National Institute for the Blind. Recalling that time, he admits that he was “afraid to walk four hundred meters to the nearest supermarket for a loaf of bread.”

The example of his younger brother Jeff made him radically reconsider his attitude to life. He is also blind, however, this did not stop him on the way to achieving his goals, and he alone managed to sail on a yacht from Africa to Australia.

It was Jeff who managed to inspire Miles with the idea that if you want to succeed in life, you don’t have to start with the fact that you are blind, start with what you want to do most in life. From your dreams.

Incredible Achievements of Blind People

Thus, Miles, who by that time was already fifty years old, returned to his youthful dream - to become a pilot. When he tried to get trained, he was first told: “How can you? After all, you are blind!”, to which he replied: “So what? All civil aviation pilots are taught to fly blind, and I'm already blind! Already fit for the profession!

Since then, Miles began a new life. He began to participate in sports adventures that not every healthy person would dare, let alone the blind, such as marathons, running, climbing and flying in small planes.

He has a lot of achievements to his credit, for example, a marathon across the Sahara, the conquest of Mount Kilimanjaro, marathons in China and Siberia, and much more.

In 2003, he became the first blind pilot to cross the English Channel in a passenger plane. And with his personal example, he inspires many people around the world, encouraging them to do what they dream of and not let circumstances hold them back.

How to live a full life despite physical limitations?

The lesson of this amazing story is, first of all, that when you really want something, you should not sit and wait for things to change for the better, but you just need to go and act.

After all, as Miles himself admitted, that he used to think that if God or medical technology cured him of blindness, then he would have dreams again, and he would begin to live for real.

However, he could wait for this all his life, but, fortunately, did not do this. And this is a good example for those who believe that they can achieve something when, for example, the economic situation or anything else in the outside world changes for the better.

But, as you know, water will not leak under a lying stone, and as Miles himself admits, "with such an attitude, I would still be sitting at home like a couch vegetable." You always need to start with yourself, because when we ourselves change, the world around us also changes.

“If you want to achieve something in life, start with your dreams, not circumstances. When was the last time you did something for the first time in your life? It was the last time you grew as a person... Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by events that take our breath away. Don't be afraid to go where it takes your breath away!" M. Hilton-Barber.

And these words, of course, are relevant not only for those who suffer from any physical injuries, but also for any of us.

Accept the challenge of fate

In the life of any of us, it often happens that on the way to a cherished dream there are obstacles that seem insurmountable, and you suddenly involuntarily begin to think that no, I will never achieve this.

However, if your desire is really strong, then such obstacles can be perceived as a kind of challenge to fate, a kind of test, as if some higher powers are checking whether you really want what you are striving for.

“At the heart of every difficulty lies an opportunity,” Albert Einstein once said. In this regard, I would like to recall one more story, which can also serve as a vivid example of the fact that even a physical injury is not an obstacle to a dream, and that you should never be afraid to do what no one has done before you.

blind doctor

David W. Hartman went blind when he was eight years old. He had a dream of becoming a doctor, but at the Temple University School of Medicine he was told that there was not a single blind among the graduates.

This did not stop David, he courageously accepted the challenge of fate and began to study from audio recordings, and he had recordings of twenty-five medical textbooks. And thus, at the age of twenty-seven, David became the first blind medical graduate.

Such examples, of course, make us remember the fortitude that is inherent in each of us, which is able to overcome any difficulties and find a way out of seemingly impasse situations.

After all, when before your eyes there is an example of someone who, suffering from some kind of physical injury, nevertheless managed to achieve his goal, then you involuntarily feel that you can also do everything, because you, unlike him, have no restrictions, and you healthy and able to do absolutely anything you want.

The artist without hands

In this regard, another vivid example comes to mind - the Colombian artist Zuly Sanguino. Her paintings are very talented, filled with light and life, and carry such a flow of positive energy that, looking at them, you don’t think at all that their creator suffers from a congenital pathology (she has underdeveloped limbs, in fact, no arms and legs). , and she draws, holding the brush in her teeth).

The life story of this girl, an artist with a disability, is another vivid example of the fact that our spirit is stronger than any injury, and even if the illness is insurmountable, it cannot be an obstacle to the fulfillment of a cherished dream.

But before Zuly became what she is today, many trials fell to her lot. The girl was born with a diagnosis of phocomelia, and seemed doomed to be bedridden for life. However, her mother did not want to put up with this and made incredible efforts to teach her daughter to sit and even walk on her own.

The family lived in poverty, their house was an ordinary hut with an earthen floor, but mother and daughter stubbornly walked towards their goal. There was another problem they faced - aggression from the father, who did not shy away from insults and often raised his hand to his wife and children.

In the end, he committed suicide, which caused the girl's many years of depression, it seemed that she would never want to take care of her own body.

Can people with disabilities succeed?

The mother had to make a lot of efforts to return the joy of life to her daughter. She taught Zuly to write and draw, and the girl gradually realized her destiny, found a purpose in life.

At the age of fifteen, she realized that she wanted to devote herself to drawing, that it was worth living for this, and she made tremendous efforts to master the basics of painting. The ability to embody her world on paper was gained by the girl through blood and sweat, but since then she has begun a new, bright streak. After all, she realized her mission - to give people light and joy through her painting.

But when you strive to bring joy to someone, then your own suffering fades into the background, and you see, feel, first of all, the beautiful - in yourself and in the world around you.

Now Zuly is 24 years old and she has learned to do almost everything on her own: she dresses herself, puts on makeup, mop the floors and, of course, draws.

In addition, she takes an active part in environmental initiatives: together with her brothers and sisters, she regularly collects garbage in her neighborhood, in her free time she helps her mother with younger children or babysits neighbors' kids.

Moreover, she gives motivational lectures in private firms, schools and even prisons. Of course, unlike most of us, she has to overcome herself every day, facing her own physical limitations, and what for us is a simple action, for her is a small feat, but the more clearly her example makes it clear that when we We show the strength of the spirit, we are able to overcome everything.

“The human spirit cannot be paralyzed. You breathe, so you can dream.” M. Brown

The most famous and talented disabled people in history

And you can still give a lot of examples of famous people who accepted the challenge of fate and achieved amazing success, while having disabilities and other deviations from a healthy physical body.

• John Milton, the famous poet and writer, was blind.
• Itzhak Perlman, the famous world-class violinist, is paraplegic of the lower half of the body.
• James Thurber, cartoonist and humorist, had very poor eyesight.
• Heather Wyston, Miss America 94, deaf.
• Reifer Johnson, decathlon champion, was born with a deformed foot.
• Eduard Golderness, a Russian poet and translator who lived in Georgia, was terminally ill from the age of fifteen.

But at the same time, as his beloved woman recalls:

“I have never seen a more heroic, restless fate around me. The point is not only that he was a poet, wrote sonnets, translated - he carried out "the connection of man with man", he created new higher forms of human communication, he ennobled those who lived next to him.

And this list could be continued. After all, the main thing that unites all these people is the strength and fortitude of the spirit, the ability not to put up with circumstances, to live and create, embodying their cherished desires.

Live sincerely and you will achieve everything despite the limitations

“Fate is not given to a person from the outside, but every day ripens in his heart,” said the famous Buddhist philosopher Daisaku Ikeda. In other words, each of us creates our own destiny every day, carefully grows it, like a sprout from a seed. After all, what you put into yourself, then in the end it germinates.

And the examples of those whom we spoke about can be a vivid confirmation of this idea - that each of us, in the end, is the creator of our own destiny, and there is a way out of any, even the most impasse situation, when you know what strive.

It is these people who have been handicapped since birth or who have become disabled as a result of accidents and teach us to appreciate what we have and to reveal the possibilities inherent in us by God.

After all, as the Russian woman Vera Kotelyanets says, who was born without arms and learned to do everything with her legs, including caring for children: “When I hear that someone complains about life, I think: “I would like your hands, I would like the world turned them over!”

There is nothing to add to this, as they say.

Stop complaining that you don’t have enough money or good acquaintances, because if you start living sincerely, improve yourself and every day take at least a small step towards your destiny and what you love most (to your dream), then soon between your happiness and there will be no barriers left for you, and you will be able to achieve whatever you want, despite any physical or material limitations.

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If you give up and do not have the strength to conquer the next peak, remember the historical figures and contemporaries with physical disabilities, who became famous throughout the world. To call them disabled is simply not the language. People with disabilities who have achieved success set an example for all of us of courage, resilience, heroism and determination.

World famous personalities

Surprise and inspire numerous stories of people with disabilities. Successful personalities are often known throughout the world: books are written about them, films are made. The German musician and composer, representative of the Viennese school, Ludwig van Beethoven, is no exception. Already being famous, he began to lose his hearing. In 1802, the man became completely deaf. Despite the tragic circumstances, it was from this period of time that Beethoven began to create masterpieces. Having received a disability, he wrote most of his sonatas, as well as the Heroic Symphony, the Solemn Mass, the opera Fidelio and the vocal cycle To the Distant Beloved.

The Bulgarian clairvoyant Vanga is another historical figure who deserves respect and admiration. At the age of 12, the girl fell into a sandstorm and became blind. At the same time, the so-called third eye, the all-seeing eye, opened inside it. She began to look into the future, predicting the fate of people. Vanga drew attention to her activities during World War II. Then a rumor went around the villages that she was able to determine whether a warrior had died or not on the battlefield, where the missing person was and whether there was any hope of finding him.

People during World War II

In addition to Vanga, during the German occupation, there were other people with disabilities who were successful. In Russia and abroad, everyone knows the brave pilot Alexei Petrovich Maresyev. During the battle, his plane was shot down, and he himself was seriously injured. For a long time he got to his own, because of the developed gangrene he lost his legs, but, despite this, he managed to convince the medical board that he was able to fly even with prostheses. The brave pilot shot down many more enemy ships, constantly took part in combat battles and returned home as a hero. After the war, he constantly traveled to the cities of the USSR and everywhere defended the rights of the disabled. His biography formed the basis of The Tale of a Real Man.

Another key figure in World War II is Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The thirty-second president of the United States was also disabled. Long before that, he contracted polio and remained paralyzed. Treatment did not give positive results. But Roosevelt did not lose heart: he worked actively and achieved amazing success in politics and in the diplomatic field. Important pages of world history are connected with his name: the participation of the United States in the anti-Hitler coalition and the normalization of relations between the American country and the Soviet Union.

Russian heroes

The list of famous personalities includes other people with disabilities who have achieved success. From Russia, first of all, we know Mikhail Suvorov, a writer and teacher who lived in the second half of the 20th century. When he was 13 years old, he lost his sight from a shell explosion. This did not prevent him from becoming the author of sixteen collections of poems, many of which received wide recognition and were set to music. Suvorov also taught at a school for the blind. Before his death, he was awarded the title of Honored Teacher of the Russian Federation.

But Valery Andreevich Fefelov worked in a different field. He not only fought for the rights of the disabled, but was also an active participant in the Soviet Union. Prior to that, he worked as an electrician: he fell from a height and broke his spine, remaining chained to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. It was on this simple device that he traveled through the expanses of a vast country, inviting people, if possible, to help the organization he created - the All-Union Society of Disabled People. The activities of the dissident were considered by the USSR authorities to be anti-Soviet and, together with his family, he was expelled from the country. Refugees received political asylum in Germany.

Notable musicians

People with disabilities who have achieved success with their creative abilities are on everyone's lips. Firstly, this is a blind musician Ray Charles, who lived for 74 years and died in 2004. This man can rightfully be called a legend: he is the author of 70 studio albums recorded in the style of jazz and blues. He went blind at the age of seven due to sudden onset glaucoma. The disease did not become an obstacle to his musical abilities. Ray Charles received 12 Grammy awards, he was noted in numerous halls of the stave. Frank Sinatra himself called Charles "the genius of show business", and the famous magazine Rolling Stone entered his name in the top ten of his "List of Immortals".

Secondly, the world knows another blind musician. This is Stevie Wonder. The creative personality had a tremendous impact on the development of vocal art in the 20th century. He became the founder of the R'n'B style and classic soul. Steve became blind immediately after birth. Despite his physical handicap, he ranks second among pop artists in terms of the number of Grammy statuettes received. The musician was awarded this award 25 times - not only for career success, but also for life achievements.

Popular athletes

Special respect deserves people with disabilities who have achieved success in sports. There are a lot of them, but first of all I would like to mention Eric Weihenmeier, who, being blind, was the first in the world to climb the formidable and mighty Everest. The rock climber became blind at the age of 13, but managed to complete his studies, get a profession and a sports category. Eric's adventures during his famous mountain climb were made into a feature film called "Touch the Top of the World". By the way, Everest is not a single achievement of a man. He managed to climb seven of the most dangerous peaks in the world, including Elbrus and Kilimanjaro.

Another world famous personality is Oscar Pistorius. Having become an invalid almost from the first days of his life, in the future he managed to turn the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bmodern sports. The man, having no legs below the knee, competed on an equal footing with healthy runners, and achieved great success and numerous victories. Oscar is a symbol of people with disabilities and an example of the fact that disability is not a hindrance to a normal life, including sports. Pistorius is an active participant in the program to support citizens with physical disabilities and the main promoter of active sports among this category of people.

strong women

Do not forget that people with disabilities who have achieved success in their careers are not exclusively members of the stronger sex. There are a lot of women among them - for example, Esther Verger. Our contemporary - the Dutch tennis player - is considered the greatest in this sport. At the age of 9, due to an unsuccessful operation on the spinal cord, she got into a wheelchair and managed to turn the tennis upside down. In our time, a woman is the winner of the Grand Slam and other tournaments, a four-time Olympic champion, seven times she became the leader in world competitions. Since 2003, she has not suffered a single defeat, becoming the winner of 240 sets in a row.

Helen Adams Keller is another name to be proud of. The woman was blind and deaf-mute, but, having mastered the iconic functions, having mastered the correct movements of the larynx and lips, she entered a higher educational institution and graduated with honors. The American became a famous writer who, on the pages of her books, talked about herself and people like her. Her story is the basis of William Gibson's play The Miracle Worker.

Actresses and dancers

Everyone has people with disabilities who have achieved success. Photos of the most beautiful women are often liked by tabloid print: among such talented and beautiful ladies it is worth noting In 1914, the French actress had her leg amputated, but she continued to appear on the stage of the theater. The last time grateful spectators saw her on the stage was in 1922: at the age of 80, she played a role in the play The Lady of the Camellias. Many prominent artists called Sarah a model of perfection, courage and

Another famous woman who captivated the public with her thirst for life and creativity is Lina Po, a ballerina and dancer. Her real name is Polina Gorenstein. In 1934, after suffering from encephalitis, she was left blind and partially paralyzed. Lina could no longer perform, but she did not lose heart - the woman learned to sculpt. She was accepted into the Union of Soviet Artists, the woman's work was constantly exhibited at the country's most famous exhibitions. The main collection of her sculptures is now in the museum of the All-Russian Society of the Blind.

Writers

People with disabilities who have achieved success did not live only in our time. Among them are many historical figures - for example, the writer Miguel Cervantes, who lived and worked in the 17th century. The author of the world-famous novel about the adventures of Don Quixote not only spent his time writing plots, he also served in the military in the navy. In 1571, having taken part in the Battle of Lepanto, he was seriously wounded - he lost his arm. Subsequently, Cervantes liked to repeat that disability was a powerful impetus for the further development and improvement of his talent.

John Pulitzer is another person who has become famous all over the world. The man went blind at the age of 40, but after the tragedy he began to work even harder. In the modern world, he is known to us as a successful writer, journalist, publisher. He is called the founder of the "yellow press". After his death, John bequeathed the $ 2 million he earned. Most of this amount went to the opening of the Graduate School of Journalism. With the rest of the money, they founded the prize for correspondents, which has been awarded since 1917.

Scientists

Among this category there are also people with disabilities who have achieved success in life. What is the famous English physicist Stephen William Hawking - the author of the theory of primordial black holes. The scientist suffers from amyotrophic sclerosis, which first deprived him of the ability to move, and then to speak. Despite this, Hawking is actively working: he controls a wheelchair and a special computer with the fingers of his right hand, the only moving part of his body. He now occupies a high position that three centuries ago belonged to Isaac Newton: he is a professor of mathematics at the University of Cambridge.

It is worth noting Louis Braille, a French typhlopedagogue. As a young boy, he cut his eyes with a knife, after which he forever lost the ability to see. To help himself and other blind people, he created a special embossed dot font for the blind. They are used all over the world today. Based on the same principles, the scientist also came up with special notes for the blind, which made it possible for blind people to play music.

conclusions

People with disabilities who have achieved success in our time and in past centuries can become an example for each of us. Their life, work, activity is a huge feat. Agree how hard it is sometimes to break the barriers on the way to a dream. Now imagine that they have these barriers more extensive, deeper and insurmountable. Despite the difficulties, they managed to pull themselves together, gather their will into a fist and take action.

To list all worthy personalities in one article is simply unrealistic. People with disabilities who have achieved success make up a whole army of citizens: each of them demonstrates his courage and strength. Among them are the famous artist Chris Brown, who has only one limb, the writer Anna MacDonald with a diagnosis of "intellectual disability", as well as TV presenter Jerry Jewell, poet Chris Nolan and screenwriter Chris Foncheka (all three are ill with cerebral palsy) and so on. What can we say about the many athletes without legs and arms, who take an active part in competitions. The stories of these people should become a standard for each of us, a symbol of courage and determination. And when you give up and it seems that the whole world is against you, remember these heroes and move on to your dream.

10 Great Stories of Disabled People Living Fully Lived.

December 3 is marked on the calendar as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. According to experts, currently over 650 million people have various forms of disability. More than 500 thousand people with disabilities live in Kazakhstan. And many of them can give odds to any healthy person in the love of life.

We will tell you incredible stories from the life of disabled people. The hardships and trials they experienced hardened their spirit.

The 22-year-old from Astana, despite his vision of minus 17, successfully performs at international competitions and wins medals and cups for his country. Anuar is a professional swimmer and plans to defend the honor of Kazakhstan at the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, for which he is already preparing.

Nick Vujicic was born with Tetra-Amelia Syndrome, a rare hereditary condition that results in the absence of all limbs. Now Nick is one of the most famous and popular motivational speakers in the world, has a beautiful wife and son. And by its very existence, it gives hope for a normal, full life to thousands of people.

Hawking was born a healthy man, but at an early age doctors diagnosed him with Charcot's disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The disease progressed rapidly, and soon almost all of Hawking's muscles were paralyzed. He is not just confined to a wheelchair, he is completely paralyzed, mobility is preserved only in the fingers and individual muscles of the face. In addition, after the operation on the throat, Stephen lost the ability to talk. He uses a speech synthesizer to communicate.

All this did not prevent Hawking from becoming a world famous scientist and being considered one of the smartest people on the planet. But Hawking not only conducts scientific activities in a laboratory away from people. He writes books and actively popularizes science, lectures and teaches. Hawking has been married twice and has children. Despite his condition and advanced age (the scientist is already 71 years old), he continues to conduct social and scientific activities, and a couple of years ago he even went on a special flight with a weightlessness simulation session.

World-famous composer Ludwig van Beethoven in 1796 at the age of 26 began to lose his hearing: he developed tinitis - inflammation of the inner ear. By 1802, Beethoven was completely deaf, but it was from that time that the composer created his most famous works. Beethoven wrote the Heroic Symphony, the opera Fidelio, in addition, piano sonatas from the Twenty-eighth to the last - Thirty-second were composed; two sonatas for cello, quartets, vocal cycle "To a Distant Beloved". Being completely deaf, Beethoven created two of his most monumental works - the Solemn Mass and the Ninth Symphony with Choir.

The Russian has been married to Kazakhstani Anna Stelmakhovich for more than three years. Anna is healthy and could live a full life, like all ordinary people, but the girl chose a different life, filled with worries and troubles. But they are pleasant for her, and she tries to do everything with love for the sake of her husband. Grigory has been disabled since childhood. At 26, he weighs only 20 kilograms and is unable to take care of himself on his own. His wife does everything for him, she cooks, cleans, dresses, and washes him. But the couple does not complain about life and endures all hardships with dignity. Grisha works as a system administrator and creates websites, while Anna sells fashion items through an online store.

19-year-old Carrie Brown is a carrier of Down syndrome. Not so long ago, thanks to the active support of her friends and the Internet, she became a model for one of the American youth clothing manufacturers. Carrie began posting photos of herself wearing Wet Seal on her social media account, which became so popular that she was invited to be the brand's face.

This story of true love has spread all over the Internet. A veteran of the war in Afghanistan was blown up by a bomb, lost his limbs, but miraculously survived. Upon returning home, his fiancee Kelly not only did not leave her beloved, but also helped him literally get back on his feet.

New Zealander Mark Inglis conquered Everest in 2006, having lost both legs twenty years earlier. The climber froze them in one of the previous expeditions, but did not part with his dream of Everest and climbed to the top, which is difficult even for ordinary people.

One not-so-good day, Lizzie saw a video posted on the Internet called "The Most Terrible Woman in the World" with many views and corresponding comments. It is easy to guess that the video showed ... Lizzy herself, who was born with a rare syndrome, due to which she completely lacks adipose tissue. Lizzy's first impulse was to rush into an unequal battle with the commentators and tell them everything she thinks about them. But instead, she pulled herself together and proved to the whole world that you don't have to be beautiful to inspire people. She has already published two books and successfully gives motivational speeches.

Irishman Christy Brown was born with disabilities - he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Doctors considered him unpromising - the child could not walk and even move, lagged behind in development. But the mother did not abandon him, but looked after the baby and did not give up hope of teaching him to walk, speak, write, read. Her deed deserves deep respect - the Brown family was very poor, and the father did not perceive his son, flawed, according to his concepts, at all.

Fully Brown managed only with his left foot. And it was with it that he began to draw and write, first mastering chalk, then a brush, then a pen and a typewriter. He not only learned to read, speak and write, but also became a famous artist and short story writer. The film "Christy Brown: My Left Foot" was made about his life, the script for which was written by Brown himself.

Do you have a disability or serious illness? You are not alone. Many people with disabilities have contributed to society. Among them are actors, actresses, celebrities, singers, politicians and many other famous people. There are, of course, millions of unknown people who live, fight and overcome their disease every day. Here is some list of famous disabled people to prove that it is possible to overcome the so-called disability barrier. Vanga(Vangelia Pandeva Gushterova, nee Dimitrova; January 31, 1911, Strumitsa, Ottoman Empire - August 11, 1996 Petrich, Bulgaria) - Bulgarian clairvoyant. Born in the Ottoman Empire in the family of a poor Bulgarian peasant. At the age of 12, Vanga lost her sight due to a hurricane, during which a whirlwind threw her hundreds of meters away. She was found only in the evening with her eyes clogged with sand. Her family was unable to provide treatment, and as a result, Vanga became blind. Franklin Delano Roosevelt 32nd President of the United States (1933–1945) (succumbed to polio in 1921). Kutuzov(Golenishchev-Kutuzov) Mikhail Illarionovich (1745–1813) Most Serene Prince Smolensky(1812), Russian commander, Field Marshal General (1812) (blindness of one eye). Composer Ludwig van Beethoven(he lost his hearing with age). Musician Stevie Wonder(blindness). Sarah Bernard, actress (lost her leg as a result of an injury in a fall). Marley Matlin, (deafness). Christopher Reeve, an American actor who played the role of Superman, was paralyzed after falling from a horse. Ivan IV Vasilyevich(Grozny) (Russian Tsar) - epilepsy, severe paranoia Peter I Aleseevich Romanov(Russian Tsar, later Russian Emperor) - epilepsy, chronic alcoholism I.V. Dzhugashvili(Stalin) (generalissimo, second head of the USSR) - partial paralysis of the upper limbs Cerebral paralysis Cerebral paralysis- this term refers to a group of non-progressive non-communicable diseases associated with damage to areas of the brain, most often causing movement disorders. Celebrities with CPU Jeri Jewell(09/13/1956) - comedian. She made her debut in the TV show "Life Facts". Jeri shows from personal experience that the behavior and actions of cirrhotic patients are often misunderstood. Jerry is called a pioneer among disabled comedians. Anna McDonald is an Australian writer and disability rights activist. Her illness developed as a result of a birth trauma. She was diagnosed with an intellectual disability, and at the age of three, her parents placed her in the Melbourne Hospital for the Seriously Disabled, where she spent 11 years without education and treatment. In 1980, in collaboration with Rosemary Crossley, she wrote the story of her life, "Anna's Exit", subsequently filmed. Christy Brown(06/05/1932 - 09/06/1981) - Irish author, artist and poet. The film "My Left Leg" was made about his life. For years, Christy Brown was unable to walk or speak on his own. Doctors considered him mentally handicapped. However, his mother continued to talk to him, develop him and tried to teach him. At the age of five, he took a piece of chalk from his sister with his left foot - the only limb that obeys him - and began to draw on the floor. His mother taught him the alphabet, and he diligently copied each letter, holding the chalk between his toes. He eventually learned to speak and read. Chris Foncheska- comedian. He worked at the American Comedy Club and wrote material for comedians such as Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno and Roseanne Arnold. Chris Foncheska is the first (and only) person with a clear disability to work on Late Night with David Letterman in the show's 18-year history. Many stories of Chris are devoted to his illness. He notes that this helps break down many preconceived barriers about cerebral palsy. Chris Nolan- Irish author. He was educated in Dublin. He acquired cerebral palsy as a result of a two-hour oxygen starvation after birth. His mother believed that he understood everything, and continued to teach him at home. Eventually, a drug was discovered that allowed him to move one muscle in his neck. Thanks to this, Chris was able to learn how to type. Nolan never said a word in his life, but his poetry has been compared to Joyce, Keats and Yeats. He published his first collection of poems at the age of fifteen. Stephen Hawking world renowned physicist. He defied time and the doctor's claims that he would not live two years after he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Charcot's disease. Hawking cannot walk, speak, swallow, has difficulty in raising his head, he has difficulty breathing. Hawking, 51, was told of the illness 30 years ago when he was an unknown college student. Miguel Cervantes(1547 - 1616) - Spanish writer. Cervantes is best known as the author of one of the greatest works of world literature - the novel The Cunning Hidalgo Don Quixote of La Mancha. In 1571, Cervantes, being in military service in the navy, took part in the battle of Lepanto, where he was seriously wounded by a shot from an arc:) zy, due to which he lost his left arm. Pavel Luspekaev, actor (Vereshchagin from "The White Sun of the Desert") - Amputated feet. Grigory Zhuravlev, the artist - from birth was without arms and legs. He painted with a brush in his mouth. Admiral Nelson- without hands and eyes. Homer(blindness) ancient Greek poet, author of the Odyssey Franklin Roosevelt(polio) 32nd President of the United States Ludwig Beethoven(deafness with age) great German composer Stevie Wonder(blindness) American musician Marlin Matlin(deafness) American actress. She became the first and only deaf actress to win an Academy Award for Best Actress for Children of a Lesser God. Christopher Reeve(paralysis) American actor Grigory Zhuravlev(lack of legs and arms) Russian artist (more) Elena Keller(deaf-blind) American writer, teacher Maresyev Alexey(leg amputation) ace pilot, Hero of the Soviet Union Oscar Pistorius(legless) athlete Diana Gudaevna Gurtskaya- Russian Georgian singer. Member of the SPS. Valentin Ivanovich Dikul. In 1962, Valentin Dikul fell from a great height while performing a stunt in a circus. The doctors' verdict was ruthless: "Compression fracture of the spine in the lumbar region and traumatic brain injury." . One of the main achievements of Dikul was his own method of rehabilitation, protected by copyright certificates and patents. In 1988, the Russian Center for the Rehabilitation of Patients with Spinal Cord Injuries and the Consequences of Infantile Cerebral Palsy was opened - the Dikul Center. In subsequent years, 3 more V.I. Dikul centers were opened in Moscow alone. Then, under the scientific guidance of Valentin Ivanovich, a number of rehabilitation clinics appeared throughout Russia, in Israel, Germany, Poland, America, etc. Honored Master of Sports, athlete of the Omsk Paralympic Training Center Elena Chistilina. She won a silver medal at the XIII Paralympic Games in Beijing and two bronze medals at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, and repeatedly won Russian championships. In 2006, by the Decree of the President of Russia, the athlete was awarded the medal of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" II degree. Taras Kryzhanovsky(1981). He was born without two feet. Honored Master of Sports in cross-country skiing among the disabled, champion and prize-winner of the IX Paralympic Games in Turin (nomination "For outstanding achievements in sports"). Andrea Bocelli. Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli was born in 1958 in Lajatico in the province of Tuscany. Despite his blindness, he has become one of the most memorable voices in modern opera and pop music. Bocelli is equally good at performing classical repertoire and pop ballads. He has recorded duets with Celine Dion, Sarah Brightman, Eros Razazzotti and El Jarre. The latter, who sang "The Night Of Proms" with him in November 1995, said of Bocelli: "I had the honor of singing with the most beautiful voice in the world"... Stephen William Hawking(Eng. Stephen William Hawking, born January 8, 1942, Oxford, UK) is one of the most influential theoretical physicists of our time in the scientific sense and known to the general public. Hawking's main area of ​​research is cosmology and quantum gravity. For three decades now, the scientist has been suffering from an incurable disease - multiple sclerosis. This is a disease in which motor neurons gradually die and the person becomes more and more helpless ... After a throat operation in 1985, he lost the ability to speak. Friends gave him a speech synthesizer that was installed on his wheelchair and with which Hawking can communicate with others. Married twice, three children, grandchildren. Daniela Rozzek- "wheelchair", paralympic woman of Germany - fencing. In addition to playing sports, she studies at a design school and works in a center for helping the elderly. Raising a daughter. Together with other German Paralympians, she starred for an erotic calendar. Zhadovskaya Yulia Valerianovna- July 11, 1824 - August 8, 1883, poetess, prose writer. She was born with a physical handicap - without a hand of one hand. She was a very interesting, talented person, she communicated with a large circle of talented people of her era. Sarah Bernard- March 24, 1824 - March 26, 1923, actress ("divine Sarah"). Many prominent theater figures, such as K. S. Stanislavsky, considered the art of Bernard a model of technical perfection. However, virtuoso skill, sophisticated technique, artistic taste were combined in Bernard with deliberate showiness, some artificiality of the game. In 1905, while on tour in Rio de Janeiro, the actress injured her right leg, and in 1915 her leg had to be amputated. Nevertheless, Bernard did not leave the stage. During World War I, Bernard served at the front. In 1914 she was awarded the Order of the Legion of Honor. Stevie Wonder- May 13, 1950 American soul singer, songwriter, pianist and record producer. He is called the greatest musician of our time, achieved impressive success in the musical field, being blind from birth, received the Grammy Award 22 times, Wonder's name is immortalized in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Composers Hall of Fame.