Popular people with disabilities. Ten world famous people with disabilities

Most recently, December 3 was the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. In honor of this, I would like to say about some who, despite their limited capabilities, do not take offense at life. On the contrary, they take everything that she gives them.

It happens that people with disabilities are much more successful than people who were born full-fledged.

Why is this happening? The disabled person feels that he is cut off from society, that, unfortunately, he cannot live a full life, he cannot feel the feelings that ordinary people will experience.

Of course, such people strong will. And after that, such a person begins to work hard on himself so as not to feel disadvantaged, by this the disabled person will show society that he is also a full-fledged member of society. It is about such people that will be discussed in this article.

Nick Vujicic

In 1982, a child with a rare tetra-amelia syndrome was born into a Serbian family. He was born without limbs, but he had a foot with two toes.

Despite the lack of limbs, Nick can swim, skateboard, type on a computer, and much more. In addition, Nick is motivational speaker. He performs mainly for youth and children.

For example, when young children ask him why he does not have a limb, Nick replies that he did not clean the room or smoked a lot.

He started his activity in 1999. Since that time, he began to speak in prisons, in churches he motivated people who had fallen in spirit to the fact that nothing was lost yet.

I have been to Russia several times. Nick is also the father of two boys and, more recently, two twin girls. He wrote the book Life Without Limits: The Path to an Amazing Happy Life.

Mark Inglis

Man born in 1959. Since childhood, I dreamed of rock climbing. In 1979, he began working as a search and rescue climber in the Aoraki National Park.

In 1982, an accident occurs that causes Mark and his partner Philip to get stuck in a cave due to a violent storm. The climbers have been there 13 days waiting to be rescued. During this time, Mark froze his legs. After the rescue, it was decided to amputate his legs.

But even despite the fact that the climber was left without legs, this did not deprive him of his dream to conquer Everest. He had to move around on prosthetic legs to fulfill his dream.

There were long preparations for this ascent. And in the end, Mark conquered the highest mountain in the world. Its rise lasts 40 days. After returning home, he was personally congratulated by the Prime Minister of New Zealand.

Stephen Hawking

World famous theoretical physicist, did a lot of research on the theory of black holes and the theory of the Big Bang. In the early 1960s, signs of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis began to appear. This later led to paralysis.

In 1963, doctors believed that Hawking had two years to live. In 1985, Stephen lost the ability to speak as a result of a series of operations, but his family gave him a speech synthesizer. Despite his disability, Stephen leads an active life. In 2007, a zero gravity flight was made inside an aircraft.

In 1965 he marries Jane Wilde. But in 1990 they divorced. And in 1995 he marries his nurse. He lived with her for 11 years and divorced in 2006. From first marriage 3 children were born.

Jessica Long (Tatiana Olegovna Kirillova)

Tatyana was born in the Irkutsk region. At birth, the tibia was missing. Her mother left her in an orphanage. After that, she was adopted by the Long family from America. At 18 months old, she had to have her legs amputated.

She started using prosthetic legs to walk. Despite the lack of legs, Tatyana was involved in many sports. Since the beginning of 2002, she began to practice in her grandfather's pool. A year later, she became the best swimmer of 2003. At the age of 12, she won three gold medals.

Long beat 18 world records 15 of them have not been beaten to this day. In 2013, she went to the Irkutsk region to see her biological parents.

Tatiana McFadden

Another Tatyana, also of Russian origin. Her fate has much in common with Long's. In 1989, at birth, her mother abandons her, as a result of which Tatyana ends up in an orphanage. She was adopted by Deborah McFaddden in 1994.

The foster mother begins to introduce the girl to various sports in order to strengthen her body. At the age of 15 he participated in the Paralympic Games in Athens.

Eric Weichenmeier

Born in 1968 in New Jersey. At the age of 13 he lost his sight. But he did not despair and worked hard on himself. He achieved great results in the struggle. He spoke on behalf of his state in the championship. Played the following sports:

• Skiing;
• Skydiving;
• Diving;
• Rock climbing.

The first and last blind person to summit Everest. In addition to all his achievements, Eric lectures and writes books, popularizes sports.

A list of the most famous people with disabilities with various disabilities and conditions, including actors, politicians with disabilities, writers and scientists with increased needs and incredible abilities who have made a great contribution to the development and life of society.

Some people need to belong to someone to succeed. And some, in order to belong to someone, you have to succeed.

Have an injury or complex medical problem? This is not an isolated case, but a mass case - there are a lot of people with disabilities in our society. And they made a huge breakthrough in all areas of social life. After all, people with physical disabilities can be found among the stars of show business, and among singers, world leaders, outstanding philosophers and great scientists, actors and actresses.

Disability- this is the most general term that refers to personal dysfunctions, and physical disabilities, and defects associated with sensory abilities (dumbness, deafness, blindness), and cognitive, cognitive, intellectual impairments, mental illness, as well as various kinds of severe chronic diseases.

Of course, there are millions of unpopular and unfamous disabled people in the world, articles and books are not written about them, but they live every day in struggle, overcome their limitations every day, overcome themselves . They are inglorious heroes who perform feats constantly, throughout their lives.

After all, in order for a person with disabilities to achieve the same as an ordinary healthy person, he needs to put in several times or even several tens of times more effort. And this is the secret of the success of people with an unusual fate - they use 100% of all the opportunities they have, while an ordinary person does not use even a tenth of his own.

In the list of the greatest people in the world below you will find names and photos, short biographies of men and women with disabilities of various kinds. These people simply cannot be called disabled, mutilated, wretched or crippled, crippled or pitiful, poor or in need of help - these are absolutely self-sufficient individuals, whose spirit is many times stronger than their body.

They inspire! After all, if they could, then each of us can!

	Mathematician and physicist, having great difficulties with cognitive processes (training, knowledge of the world was difficult). He did not speak until the age of 3. With difficulty he mastered mathematics in his school years, and also mastered written speech with great effort.
	Difficulties with cognitive abilities. Invented the telephone.
	Nothing is impossible. The most famous "crippled" in the history of SMS, who was seriously injured as a result of an injury due to unsuccessful riding and devoted his entire life to medical research with the goal of getting back on his feet and riding a horse. Virtual acquaintance with a disabled girl on the Internet. How to be?? The difficulties of life that the rich and famous have overcome
	The most famous dog breeder in the UK. He occupies powerful political posts. Joined the Labor Party at 16 and was elected to a significant elective office in Sheffield at 22. An example for many.
	Thomas Edison A great inventor who during his life came up with more than 1000 inventions that each of us uses in our daily lives. In his early years, he was considered underdeveloped because he could not read until the age of 12. Later, the guy admits that he became deaf after putting children's toy trains in his ears. Initially, he attracted the attention of the whole world by inventing the phonograph, and then the electric light bulb. By the way, to invent it, Thomas needed to make more than 10,000 attempts, which he treated not as 10,000 mistakes, but as 10,000 opportunities that bring him closer to the goal. The telegraph is also his invention. And then he became a successful businessman, a successful businessman.
	Franklin Delano Roosevelt He was sick with polio, but, nevertheless, he first became the ruler of New York, and then he was generally elected President of the United States! Moreover, he served as President of the United States of America for as many as 4 terms, i.е. an unprecedented number of times.
	Problems with cognitive abilities. I barely wrote, I never mastered the grammar. President of the U.S.A.
	The courtier of the world famous Spanish writer, who became deaf at the age of 46. The brightest representative of the Spanish art of the 19th century.
	This woman devoted her whole life to the disabled. She has been blind, deaf and dumb since birth. And at the same time full of joy and love of life. Author, political activist, lecturer. The first deaf-mute person to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree. Fighter for the rights of the disabled.
	Motor disability, difficulty with movement due to polio. A singer, he wrote a number of hits in the 1978-1980s, some of which were banned from rotation due to the ambiguity of the lyrics.
	English poet and author of the 17th century. Blinded at the age of 43, he wrote the work Paradise Lost.
	"Crazy, dashing and dangerous" - an English poet studied at school with a clubfoot. He walked with great difficulty, but at the same time he traveled all over Europe. Byron's poetry is a reflection of his selfishness and satirical realism. In our time, he would be the leader of some newfangled, revolutionary trends.
	The great British commander and hero of the English fleet. Won a number of battles, incl. at Trafalgar and the Nile. Nelson won the biggest victories already having a disability - having lost his right eye, and later he lost his right elbow in battle, as a result of which the entire arm was amputated.
	Popular in his time, the musician, the greatest German composer, was deaf for the last third of his life. Pianist and author of a number of famous musical works.
	Stand-up comedian and actress, girl-comedian. Received a US Academy Award. Deaf due to rubella, however, the deafness did not hinder her career.
	A female runner won 4 gold medals, as well as a silver and an athlete, shot putter, participant in the Paralympic Games in Atlanta. Blind. Stargradt's disease (macular degeneration). For her, there is no concept of "finish".
	Hollywood star diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD). He likes to act in films with a medical bias.
	French actress with a severe knee injury. In 1914, her leg was amputated, but she continued to act in films until her death. She was considered the greatest actress and was called the magnificent, inimitable Sarah.
	World-class physicist and mathematician, considered the second most important scientist of the 20th century after Einstein. He owns the theory of the big bang and the black hole. Paralyzed almost completely, carries out scientific activities through a computer that voices his words. He is alive and continues his research, visited space, starred in a number of scientific programs and serials, films.
	Sudha Chandran Indian actress and dancer. So you can’t say for this beauty that she is legless - she doesn’t have a leg, she was amputated as a result of a car accident. Filmed in a number of films, takes an active part in dance shows.
	Wheelchair athlete, participant of the Paralympic Games. She won 14 Paralympic medals - 9 of them gold. Broke over 20 world records. Competed in 5 London Marathons. She made herself a TV presenter, including broadcasting on the BBC, and also led a column in Edge magazine for the disabled.
	Tom Cruise- Hollywood star, dyslexic. Walt Disney- limited cognitive abilities. Woodrow Wilson- cognitive difficulties, dyslexia.
	The type of disability is mental, mental illness. He is one of the most expensive artists in the world. He made a huge contribution to contemporary art. Created about 2000 paintings and drawings.
	A Mexican artist with polio became famous all over the world. Her right leg was thinner than her left, a flaw she successfully hides with the help of long skirts. There is an assumption that she had a spinal injury.
	Irish artist, writer and poet, suffering from severe cerebral palsy. In his family, 22 children were born to his parents, and only 13 survived. For many years he did not speak or move. Doctors considered him mentally handicapped. His left leg did not move for the first time until he was 5 years old. He wrote books with humor and used symbols in a special way, created his own understanding of the language.
	Nobel Prize winner, American mathematician, innovator in the field of game theory, differential equations and geometry. He lived most of his life with a diagnosis of paranoia and schizophrenia. Based on his biography, a film was made with Russell Crowe in the title role.
	Well-known French journalist and editor of the fashion magazine ELLE. He suffered a stroke, was in a coma for 20 days and was completely paralyzed, and the body was completely paralyzed - from the top of his head to the heels, although the spirit remained completely healthy, conscious.

Limited physical abilities cannot stop those who do not agree to admit their inferiority. History knows outstanding personalities who have not resigned themselves to fate: Theodore Roosevelt, Stephen William Hawking, Frida Kahlo, Beethoven.

If you were suddenly overtaken by the blues, and you began to sincerely doubt your own abilities, then you just need to read the biographies of famous people with disabilities, because they were able to overcome enormous problems and not only brought their own life as close as possible to a truly full one, but also left it in the history of mankind a significant trace.

Their fortitude and boundless faith in themselves and their own abilities are worthy of great admiration. Despite everything, they were able to achieve their goals and become successful.

1. Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Perhaps the most famous US president, who in 1921 was very seriously ill with polio. He tried his best to fight the disease, but still ended up in a wheelchair. However, even this absolutely did not prevent him from entering world history with his merits.

His name is associated with such important events as the struggle against the Nazi coalition during the Second World War and the significant normalization of international diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union.

2. Helen Adams Keller

The most famous American writer, teacher and political activist. She became the first deaf-blind person in history to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Her wonderful teacher Annie Sullivan was able to "pull" her out of her own complete isolation, and, despite the absolute lack of language, taught her how to communicate with others.

As a result, Keller was able to travel widely, became the initiator of the founding of the American Civil Liberties Union, as well as an ardent fighter for labor rights, socialism and women's rights. Her difficult biography served as a vivid plot for the film "The Miracle Worker".

3. Louis Braille

The most famous typhlopedagogue in childhood accidentally injured his eye with a saddle knife, which became inflamed because of this, and then went blind. Subsequently, Braille came up with a special font for the blind and visually impaired, which is still used everywhere throughout the world. In addition, he developed a similar notation so that the blind could also learn the music that he himself taught them.

4. Stephen William Hawking

This extraordinary man is known to all. In his 20s, Hawking was completely paralyzed, then due to an unsuccessful operation on his throat, he lost the ability to speak. To control his chair, he just moves the fingers of his right hand, they also control a computer that makes speech sounds - “speaks” for his master.

All this did not prevent Hawking from becoming the most famous theoretical physicist and astrophysicist, creating his own primary theory about black holes, and also receiving the Nobel Prize. Now he holds the same position as 300 years ago, Isaac Newton - teaches mathematics at the University of Cambridge.

5. Frida Kahlo

The famous Mexican artist, the author of numerous expressive and very vivid paintings, most of which were her own self-portraits. At the age of 6, she contracted polio, so her left leg was thicker than her right, in addition, she had spina bifida, which could at any time affect the functioning of the spinal cord.

The desire to live and move normally helped Frida recover as much as possible from injuries and even regain the ability to walk, but she was literally tied to hospitals throughout her life, as she suffered from relapses of severe pain. But, despite this, she worked a lot as an artist and many international museums of the world acquired her paintings with pleasure. The film "Frida" was made about her difficult life.

6. Ludwig van Beethoven

The story of this great man is hard to believe. Due to inflammation of the middle ear, this famous German composer suddenly began to lose his hearing at the peak of his career, which led him to complete and irreversible deafness at the age of 32.

But it was from this moment that Beethoven began to compose true masterpieces, it was in this state that he wrote the Solemn Mass and the Ninth Symphony.

7. Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

The great Spanish writer, author of the famous novel about Don Quixote, lost his left arm after being seriously wounded during the Battle of Lepanto. This absolutely did not prevent him from becoming a world famous writer and writing his famous novel.

8. Vincent van Gogh

His name is rightfully included in a number of the greatest artists, and his magnificent works have become true gems and a colossal contribution to the fundamental foundations of contemporary art. In just ten years, he created 1,100 sketches and drawings, as well as 900 paintings, today their value exceeds tens of millions of dollars.

This great artist suffered from a severe form of depression, the treatment of which took place in a psychiatric hospital. His life ended sadly enough: he shot himself in the chest when he was only 37 years old, and two days later the artist died, uttering his last words that sadness would last forever.

9. Albert Einstein

A great physicist whose contribution to this science is truly colossal. The author of the theory of relativity and the second law of the photoelectric effect won the Nobel Prize. But when Einstein was a child, his parents did not even imagine that he would become the greatest scientist of the 20th century, because he could not speak at all until the age of three, and besides, he suffered from autism and dyslexia.

10. Eric Weichenmeier

The courage and desperate determination of this man are worthy of the most extraordinary admiration! Being completely blind, he was able to conquer Everest. He lost his precious vision as a teenager, but this did not stop him from studying further with even greater desire, and then he was able to become a successful and famous athlete. In addition to the highest peak in the world, he conquered the seven highest peaks of all the continents of the Earth, among them Aconcagua, McKinley and Kilimanjaro.

11. Christy Brown

The famous Irish writer, as well as a poet and even an artist. As a child, he was ill with cerebral palsy and could not control his own movements and speech. The doctors issued a sad verdict, they believed that the boy's brain would not be able to function normally, but his mother did not give up, she constantly talked to him, worked with her son, tried to teach him at least something.

And her extraordinary efforts were rewarded: Christie was able to move his left leg at the age of 5. This leg became his means of communication with the world. Based on this touching story, a wonderful film "My Left Leg" was shot, which received a large number of awards at various competitions.

12. Sudha Chandran

A well-known Indian dancer lost her leg in a car accident in 1981, but despite this, she did not give up her favorite job. Moreover, she was able to continue to dance professionally on a prosthesis. It was very difficult for her, but she did not give up, although she believes that dancing in itself is not only a magnificent technique, but also a graceful beauty. This is exactly what the great dancer is trying to embody on stage, and whoever does not know her history does not even suspect about her features.

13. Esther Vergeer

Dutch wheelchair tennis player. When she had a spinal cord operation at the age of 9, her legs were paralyzed, but this misfortune was the beginning of her extraordinary career in tennis. Esther became the world champion seven times, won the Olympic Games four times, won the Grand Slam tournaments several times, and since January 2003 she has won all the sets in which she participated, in total there were 240 of them.

Her dedication, extraordinary skill and high professionalism were awarded in 2002, and then in 2008, with the "Best Disabled Athlete" award, which is presented by the Laureus World Sports Academy.

Everyone knows about the Paralympic movement now. Some Paralympic athletes are as famous as their healthy counterparts. And some of these amazing people challenge ordinary athletes and not only compete on a par with them, but also win. Below are 10 of the most striking examples of this in the history of world sports.

1. Markus Rehm Germany. Athletics

As a child, Markus was engaged in wakeboarding. At the age of 14, in a training accident, he lost his right leg below the knee. Despite this, Markus returned to the sport and in 2005 won the German youth wakeboarding championship.
After that, Rem switched to athletics and took up long jump and sprint, using a special prosthesis like the one that Oscar Pistorius has. In 2011-2014, Rem won numerous handicapped tournaments, including the London 2012 Paralympics (gold in the long jump and bronze in the 4x100m relay).
In 2014, Rem won the long jump at the German National Championships, ahead of former European champion Christian Reif. However, the German Athletics Union did not allow Röhm to participate in the 2014 European Championships: biomechanical measurements showed that due to the use of a prosthesis, the athlete has some advantages over ordinary athletes.

2. Natalie du Toit SOUTH AFRICA. Swimming

Natalie was born on January 29, 1984 in Cape Town. She has been swimming since childhood. At the age of 17, returning from training, Natalie was hit by a car. Doctors had to amputate the girl's left leg. However, Natalie continued to play sports, and competed not only with Paralympic athletes, but also with healthy athletes. In 2003, she won the All-Africa Games in the 800m and took bronze in the Afro-Asian Games in the 400m freestyle.
At the Beijing Olympics in 2008, du Toit competed in the 10 km open water swim on par with able-bodied athletes and finished 16th out of 25 participants. She became the first athlete in history to be entrusted with carrying her country's flag at the opening ceremonies of both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

3. Oscar Pistorius SOUTH AFRICA. Athletics

Oscar Pistroius was born on November 22, 1986 in Johannesburg to a wealthy family. Oscar had a congenital physical defect - he had no fibulae in both legs. So that the boy could use prostheses, it was decided to amputate his legs below the knee.
Despite his disability, Oscar studied at a regular school and was actively involved in sports: rugby, tennis, water polo and wrestling, but later decided to concentrate on running. For Pistorius, special prostheses were constructed from carbon fiber - a very durable and lightweight material.
Among athletes with disabilities, Pistorius had no equal in the sprint: from 2004 to 2012, he won 6 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze medals at the Paralympic Games. For a long time he sought the opportunity to compete with healthy athletes. At first, sports officials prevented this: at first it was believed that the springy prostheses would give Pistorius an advantage over other runners, then there were fears that the prostheses could cause injury to other athletes. In 2008, Oscar Pistorius finally won the right to compete for ordinary athletes. In 2011, he won a silver medal with the South African national team in the 4x100m relay.
Oscar Pistorius' career was cut short on February 14, 2013, when he killed his model girlfriend Riva Steenkamp. Pistorius claimed that he committed the murder by mistake, mistaking the girl for a robber, but the court considered the murder intentional and sentenced the athlete to 5 years in prison.

4. Natalia Partyka Poland. Table tennis

Natalya Partyka was born with a congenital handicap - without her right hand and forearm. Despite this, since childhood, Natalya has been playing table tennis: she played holding a racket in her left hand.
In 2000, 11-year-old Partyka took part in the Paralympic Games in Sydney, becoming the youngest participant in the games. In total, she has 3 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze Paralympic medals.
At the same time, Partyka participates in competitions for healthy athletes. In 2004 she won two gold medals at the European Cadet Championship, in 2008 and 2014 at the adult European Championship she won bronze and in 2009 she won silver.

5. Hector Castro Uruguay. Football

At the age of 13, Hector Castro lost his right hand as a result of careless handling of an electric saw. However, this did not stop him from playing great football. He was even nicknamed El manco - "one-armed".
As part of the Uruguay national team, Castro won the 1928 Olympics and the first World Cup in 1930 (Castro scored the last goal in the final), as well as two South American championships and three Uruguayan championships.
After the end of his career as a football player, Castro became a coach. Under his leadership, his native club Nacional won the national championship 5 times.

6. Murray Halberg New Zealand. Athletics

Murray Halberg was born July 7, 1933 in New Zealand. In his youth, he played rugby, but during one of the matches he received a severe injury to his left hand. Despite all the efforts of doctors, the hand remained paralyzed.
Despite his disability, Halberg did not give up sports, but switched to long-distance running. Already in 1954 he won his first national title. In 1958, at the Commonwealth Games, he won gold in the three-mile race and was named New Zealand Sportsman of the Year.
At the 1960 Olympics in Rome, Halberg competed in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters. At the first distance he won, and at the second he took 5th place.
In 1961, Halberg set three world records over 1 mile in 19 days. In 1962, he again competed at the Commonwealth Games, where he flew the New Zealand flag at the opening ceremony and defended his title in the three-mile race. Murray Halberg ended his sports career in 1964 after participating in the Tokyo Olympics in 1964, finishing seventh in the 10,000 meters.
Leaving the big sport, Halberg took up charity work. In 1963, he created the Halberg Trust for disabled children, which became the Halberg Disability Sport Foundation in 2012.
In 1988, Murray Halberg was awarded the honorary title of Knight Bachelor for his service to sports and disabled children.

7. Takács Károly Hungary. Pistol shooting

Already in the 1930s, the Hungarian soldier Karoly Takacs was considered a world-class shooter. However, he could not take part in the 1936 Olympics, since he only had the rank of sergeant, and only officers were taken to the shooting team. In 1938, Takachu's right arm was blown off by a faulty grenade. In secret from his colleagues, he began to train, holding a pistol in his left hand, and the very next year he was able to win the Hungarian Championship and the European Championship.
In 1948, at the London Olympics, Takacs won the pistol shooting competition, surpassing the world record. Four years later, at the Olympic Games in Helsinki, Karoly Takacs successfully defended his title and became the first ever two-time Olympic champion in rapid-fire pistol shooting competitions.
After finishing his career as an athlete, Takach worked as a coach. His pupil Szilard Kuhn won the silver medal at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki.

8. Lim Dong Hyun. South Korea. Archery

Lim Dong Hyun suffers from a severe form of myopia: his left eye sees only 10%, and his right eye only 20%. Despite this, the Korean athlete is engaged in archery.
For Lim, the targets are just colored spots, but the athlete basically does not use glasses or contact lenses, and also refuses laser vision correction. As a result of long training, Lim has developed a phenomenal muscle memory that allows him to achieve amazing results: he is a two-time Olympic champion and a four-time world archery champion.

9. Oliver Halashshi (Halassy Olivér). Hungary. Water polo and swimming

At the age of 8, Oliver was hit by a tram and lost part of his left leg below the knee. Despite his disability, he was actively involved in sports - swimming and water polo. Halashsi was a member of the Hungarian water floor team, the world leader in this sport in the 1920s and 1930s. As part of the national team, he won three European Championships (in 1931, 1934 and 1938) and two Olympics (in 1932 and 1936), and also became the silver medalist of the 1928 Olympics.
In addition, Halashsi showed good results in freestyle swimming, but only at the national level. He won about 30 gold medals in the Hungarian championships, but at the international level his results were weaker: only in 1931 did he win the European championship in the 1500-meter freestyle, and at the Olympic Games he did not swim at all.
At the end of his sports career, Oliver Halashshi worked as an auditor.
Oliver Khalashshi died under very vague circumstances: on September 10, 1946, he was shot dead by a Soviet soldier of the Central Group of Forces in his own car. For obvious reasons, this fact was not advertised in socialist Hungary, and the details of the incident remained not fully clarified.

10. George Eyser USA. Gymnastics

Georg Eiser was born in 1870 in the German city of Kiel. In 1885, his family emigrated to the United States, and therefore the athlete became known by the English form of the name - George Eyser.
In his youth, Eiser was hit by a train and almost completely lost his left leg. He was forced to use a wooden prosthesis. Despite this, Eiser did a lot of sports - in particular, gymnastics. He took part in the 1904 Olympics, where he won 6 medals in various gymnastic disciplines (exercises on the uneven bars, vault, rope climbing - gold; exercises on a horse and exercises on 7 shells - silver; exercises on the crossbar - bronze). Thus, George Eiser is the most decorated amputee athlete in the history of the Olympics.
At the same Olympics, Eiser participated in triathlon (long jump, shot put and 100-meter snatch), but took the last, 118th place.
After the Olympic triumph, Eiser continued to perform as part of the Concordia gymnastic team. In 1909 he won the National Gymnastics Festival in Cincinnati.

December 3rd is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The RIA Novosti photo gallery is dedicated to those who, faced with a big problem, managed to find the strength to continue living life to the fullest.

Hero of the Soviet Union, pilot Alexei Petrovich Maresyev, despite his disability, continued to fly. Due to a severe wound during the Great Patriotic War, both legs were amputated. During the war, Alexey made 86 sorties, shot down 11 enemy planes: four before being wounded and seven after. Maresyev is the prototype of the hero of Boris Polevoy's story "The Tale of a Real Man".

The French actress Sarah Bernard at the beginning of the 20th century was called "the most famous actress in history." Sarah achieved success on the stages of Europe, and then toured with triumph in America. Her repertoire included mostly serious dramatic roles, which earned the actress the nickname "Divine Sarah". However, in 1905, while on tour in Rio de Janeiro, Bernard severely injured her right leg, which had to be amputated in 1915. But the "Divine Sarah" did not leave the stage activity: during the First World War, she performed at the front and was awarded the Order of the Legion of Honor.

The 32nd President of the United States, who led America during the global economic crisis and World War II, as well as the only American president who was elected for more than two terms, Franklin Delano Roosevelt fell ill with polio in 1921 and no longer parted with a wheelchair. Without the help of steel tires weighing ten pounds, he could not stand, moved only on crutches, but at the same time he forbade himself to feel sorry for himself, and his environment - to show any sentimentality.

American actress Marley Matlin became the first and only deaf actress to win an Oscar. She received the award for Best Actress in the film Children of a Lesser God. Her subsequent work in film and television earned her a Golden Globe and two more nominations, as well as four Emmy nominations. For career achievements, Matlin was awarded her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Ray Charles is an American blind musician who is the author of 70 studio albums and one of the world's most famous soul, jazz and rhythm and blues performers. Ray has won 17 Grammy Awards, has been inducted into the Rock and Roll, Jazz, Country, Blues Halls of Fame, and his recordings have been included in the Library of Congress. Paul McCartney, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Tom Cruise, Bruce Willis, Billy Preston, Van Morrison admired his talent. And Frank Sinatra called Ray "the only true genius in show business."

Another American blind soul singer, composer, pianist, drummer, harper, music producer and public figure is Stevie Wonder. Stevie is constantly included in "lists of the best vocalists of all time." He became blind shortly after birth, and at the age of eleven he signed his first contract with the recording corporation Motown Records and continues to perform and record on it to this day.

The famous Dutch tennis player Esther Vergeer fell ill with paraplegia at the age of 8, she underwent a very risky operation. During rehabilitation, the girl learned to play volleyball, basketball and tennis while in a wheelchair. She played basketball at the club level for several years before joining the national wheelchair basketball team. Together with the Dutch national team, Vergeer won the European Championship in 1997. By 1998, the athlete was completely focused on tennis. Vergeer competed at the 2000 Summer Paralympics where she won the gold medal in singles and with partner Maaika Smith in doubles.

The Italian tenor, classical music performer Andrea Bocelli became blind at the age of 12 after he was hit in the head with a ball while playing football. While still a teenager, Andrea wins several vocal competitions, and also becomes a soloist in the school choir. 1992 becomes a decisive year for the young tenor. Andrea successfully auditions for the Italian "rock star" Zucchero. The demo recording of the song hits Luciano Pavarotti. In 1994, Bocelli made a successful debut at the San Remo Music Festival. Now Andrea is very revered in the US. The average ticket price for his concert is $500.

American theater and film actor, director, screenwriter, public figure Christopher Reeve (pictured left), who gained worldwide fame after playing the role of Superman in the 1978 American film of the same name and its sequels, on May 27, 1995, falling from a horse during a race in Virginia , broke his neck vertebrae and became paralyzed. The doctors could not put the actor on his feet, but saved his life by performing a unique operation. He was paralyzed below the shoulders, could not breathe on his own, and could speak only with the help of an apparatus inserted into the trachea. Since then, he has devoted his life to rehabilitation therapy and, together with his wife Dana (pictured right), opened a center for teaching the paralyzed the skills of independent existence. Despite his injury, Reeve continued to work in television, film and community activities.