If you lose heart and do not have the strength to conquer the next peak, remember the historical figures and contemporaries with physical disabilities, famous throughout the world. To call them disabled is simply not the language. Successful people with disabilities set an example for all of us of courage, resilience, heroism and determination.
World famous personalities
The numerous stories of people with disabilities are surprising and inspiring. Successful personalities are often known throughout the world: books are written about them, films are made. The German musician and composer, a 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 createmasterpieces. 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 a Distant Beloved.
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 attracted attention for her activities during World War II. Then a rumor went around the villages that she was able to determine whether or not a warrior had died 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 dissident movement 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 Societydisabled 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 German Germany.
Famous 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 their "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
People with disabilities who have achieved success in sports deserve special respect. 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 the seven 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 he althy 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
Don't 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 thiskind of sport. At the age of 9, due to an unsuccessful operation on the spinal cord, her legs were paralyzed, but she sat on 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
People with disabilities who have achieved success are in the public eye. Photos of the most beautiful women are often liked by tabloid print: among such talented and beautiful ladies, Sarah Bernhardt is worth noting. In 1914, the French actress had her leg amputated, but she continued to appear on the theater stage. 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 fortitude.
Another famous woman who captivated the public with her thirst for life and creativity is LinaPoe, 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 stories, 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 to Columbia University. Most of this amount went to the opening of the Higher School of Journalism. For the rest of the moneyfounded the Correspondent Award, 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 holds the 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 tiflopedagogue. As a little 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 be 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 morevast, deep and irresistible. Despite the difficulties, they managed to pull themselves together, gather their will into a fist and take action.
It is simply unrealistic to list all worthy personalities in one article. 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.
