Famous people with disabilities. People with disabilities who have achieved success. Disabled people known to the whole world

Today, May 5, is the International Day for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Unfortunately, in our country it is customary to ignore disabled people and even pretend that they do not exist at all. Seeing the rare disabled person who dares to leave the house, many shyly look away. The fact that these people can be full-fledged members of society is still out of the question.

However, we really hope that this shameful situation for society will begin to change. Today we want to start small and invite you not to take your eyes off, but to look at people with disabilities and learn the stories of their lives, the usefulness of which many people with “unlimited” physical capabilities may envy.

(Total 7 photos)

Nick Vujicic

Nick Vujicic was born with Tetra-Amelia syndrome - a rare hereditary disease leading to the absence of four limbs. At the age of 10, he tried to drown himself in a bathtub so as not to cause any more inconvenience to his loved ones. 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” life to thousands of people.

Carrie Brown

17-year-old Carrie Brown is a carrier of Down syndrome. Not so long ago, thanks to the active support of my friends and the Internet, one of the American manufacturers of youth clothing. Carrie posted photos of herself wearing Wet Seal clothing on her page at social network, which gained such popularity that the girl was invited to become the face of the brand.

Taylor Morris

This one made the rounds on the internet a few years ago. A veteran of the war in Afghanistan lost all his limbs after being blown up by a bomb, but miraculously survived. Upon returning home, his 23-year-old fiancée Kelly not only did not leave her beloved, but also helped him literally “get back on his feet,” even though he no longer has legs.

Jessica Long

The little resident of the Irkutsk orphanage, Tanya Kirillova, was lucky - at 13 months old, she, born without the fibula and foot bones, was adopted by an American family. This is how Jessica Long appeared - the famous swimmer, winner of 12 Paralympic gold medals and world record holder among athletes without legs.

Mark Inglis

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

Tatiana McFadden

Tatyana is another Russian-born American disabled athlete with paralysis. lower limbs. She is a multiple winner of women's wheelchair races, including the 2013 Boston Marathon. Tatyana really wanted to go to the Paralympic Games in Sochi and for this purpose she specially mastered a completely new sport for herself - cross-country skiing and biathlon.

Lizzie Velazquez

One not-so-wonderful day, Lizzie saw a video posted on the Internet called “The Most scary woman in the world" with many views and corresponding comments. It's easy to guess that the video showed... Lizzie herself, who was born with a rare syndrome due to which she completely lacks adipose tissue. Lizzie’s first impulse was to rush into an unequal “battle” with the commentators and answer them everything she thought 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 is a successful motivational speaker.

Of course, there are not seven of them. There are many more such people who have an incredible will to live and are capable of infecting others with it. And there are even more people around us who really need to be finally noticed, and when they are noticed, they do not turn away with horror or disgust, but try to help and support.

Nine worldwide famous people With disabilities health December 3rd, 2013

December 3 is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. There are many examples of people with disabilities not only surviving, but becoming famous. We have made a selection of several disabled people who have become world famous.

1. Laureate Nobel Prize Stephen William Hawking studies the fundamental laws that govern the Universe. He is the owner of twelve honorary academic titles. His books A Multiple History of Time and Black Holes, the Young Universe and Other Essays became bestsellers. With all this, at the age of 20, Hawking was almost completely paralyzed due to the development of an incurable form of atrophying sclerosis and remains in this condition for the rest of his life. Only the fingers of his right hand move, with which he controls his moving chair and a special computer that speaks for him.

Nobel Prize winner Stephen William Hawking studies the fundamental laws that govern the Universe

2. Ludwig van Beethoven- German composer, representative of the Viennese classical school. In 1796, already a famous composer, Beethoven began to lose his hearing: he developed tinitis - inflammation inner ear. By 1802, Beethoven was completely deaf, but it was from this time that the composer created his most famous works. In 1803-1804 Beethoven wrote the “Eroica Symphony”, in 1803-1805 - the opera “Fidelio”. In addition, at this time Beethoven wrote piano sonatas from “Twenty-eighth” to the last - “Thirty-second”, two cello sonatas, quartets, and the vocal cycle “To a Distant Beloved”. Being completely deaf, Beethoven created two of his most monumental works - “Solemn Mass” and “Ninth Symphony with Chorus” (1824).

Ludwig van Beethoven - German composer, representative of the Viennese classical school

3. Pilot Alexey Maresyev, based on whose story “The Tale of a Real Man” was written, he was very active all his life and fought for the rights of people with disabilities. He is one of the few who passed a medical examination after amputation and began to fly with prosthetics. After the war, Maresyev traveled a lot and became an honorary citizen of many cities. He became living proof that circumstances can be overcome.

Pilot Alexey Maresyev, based on whose story “The Tale of a Real Man” was written, was very active all his life and fought for the rights of people with disabilities

4. Franklin Delano Roosevelt- 32nd President of the United States - was also disabled. In 1921, Roosevelt became seriously ill with polio. Despite years of efforts to overcome the disease, Roosevelt remained paralyzed and confined to wheelchair. Some of the most significant pages in history are associated with his name foreign policy and US diplomacy, in particular, the establishment and normalization of diplomatic relations with Soviet Union and US participation in the anti-Hitler coalition.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt - 32nd President of the United States

5. Ray Charles famous American blind musician, author of over 70 studio albums, one of the world's most famous performers of soul, jazz and rhythm and blues music, was awarded 17 Grammy Awards, was inducted into the rock and roll, jazz, country and blues halls of fame, and his recordings were included in US Library of Congress. He went blind as a child.

Ray Charles, famous American blind musician

6. Eric Weihenmayer- the world's first rock climber to reach the top of Everest while blind. He lost his sight when he was 13 years old. Onako Eric completed his studies, and then became a teacher himself high school, then a wrestling coach and world-class athlete. Director Peter Winter made a live-action television film about Weihenmayer's journey, "Touch the Top of the World." In addition to Everest, Weihenmayer has conquered the seven highest mountain peaks in the world, including Kilimanjaro and Elbrus.

Eric Weihenmayer is the world's first rock climber to reach the summit of Everest while blind.

7. Oscar Pistorius disabled since birth. This person has achieved outstanding results in a field where traditionally people with disabilities cannot compete. healthy people. Having no legs below the knee, he became a track and field runner, and after numerous victories in competitions for the disabled, he won the right to compete with completely healthy athletes and achieved great success. He is also a promoter of sports among people with disabilities, an active participant in support programs for the disabled, and a unique symbol of how much success a person with physical disabilities can achieve, even in such a specific area as sports.

Oscar Pistorius, disabled since birth

8. Blind American Musician, Stevie Wonder, who had a huge influence on the development of music of the 20th century as a whole, was one of the founders of classic soul and R’n’B. Stevie Wonder is second among pop musicians in the number of Grammy awards he has received: he received them 25 times, including for lifetime achievement. The musician went blind shortly after birth.

Another blind American musician - Stevie Wonder

9. Irishman Christy Brown, unlike previous famous disabled people, he was born with disabilities - he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Doctors considered it unpromising - the child could not walk or even move, and was developmentally delayed. But the mother did not abandon him, but cared for the baby and did not give up hope of teaching him to walk, talk, write, and read. Her action deserves deep respect - Brown's family was very poor, and his father did not accept his “inferior” son at all. In fact, Brown only controlled his left leg fully. And it was with it that he began to draw and write, mastering first 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.

Andrey Detzel

Famous disabled people in history

You have a disability or serious disease? 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, struggle and overcome their illness 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, née Dimitrova; January 31, 1911, Strumitsa, Ottoman Empire - August 11, 1996 Petrich, Bulgaria) - Bulgarian clairvoyant. Born in 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 the whirlwind threw her hundreds of meters. She was found only in the evening with her eyes filled with sand. Her family was unable to provide treatment, and as a result, Vanga went blind.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt 32nd President of the United States (1933-1945) (sick with polio in 1921).

Kutuzov(Golenishchev-Kutuzov) Mikhail Illarionovich (1745-1813)

His Serene Highness Prince Smolensky(1812), Russian commander, Field Marshal General (1812) (blindness in one eye).

Composer Ludwig van Beethoven(I lost my hearing with age).

Musician Stevie Wonder(blindness).

Sarah Bernhardt, actress (lost her leg as a result of an injury in a fall).

Marlee Matlin, (deafness).

Christopher Reeve, the American actor who played the role of Superman, became paralyzed after falling from a horse.

Ivan IV Vasilievich(Grozny) (Russian Tsar) - epilepsy, severe paranoia

Peter I Aleseyevich 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-contagious diseases associated with damage to areas of the brain, most often causing movement disorders.

Celebrities with CPU

Geri Jewell(09/13/1956) - comedienne. She made her debut in the television show “Life Facts”. Jerry on personal experience shows that the behavior and actions of patients with cirrhosis are often misunderstood. Geri has been called a pioneer among disabled comedians.

Anna McDonald is an Australian writer and disability rights activist. Her illness developed as a result birth trauma. She was diagnosed with intellectual disability, and three years old her parents placed her in a Melbourne hospital for severely disabled people, where she spent 11 years without education or treatment. In 1980, she co-wrote her life story, Anna's Exit, with Rosemary Crossley, which was later filmed.

Christy Brown(06/05/1932-09/06/1981) - Irish author, artist and poet. The film “My Left Foot” was made about his life. For many years, Christy Brown was unable to move or speak on his own. Doctors considered him mentally disabled. However, his mother continued to talk to him, develop him and try to teach him. At the age of five, he took a piece of chalk from his sister with his left leg - the only limb that obeyed him - and began to draw on the floor. His mother taught him the alphabet, and he carefully copied each letter, holding the chalk between his toes. He eventually learned to speak and read.

Chris Foncheska- comedian. He worked in an American comedy club and wrote material for comedians such as Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno and Roseanne Arnold. Chris Fonchesca is the first (and only) person with a visible disability to work on Late Night with David Letterman in the show's 18-year history. Many of Chris's stories are about his illness. He notes that this helps break down many preconceived barriers about cerebral palsy.

Chris Nolan- Irish author. He was educated in Dublin. Cerebral palsy acquired 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 cure was discovered that allowed him to move one muscle in his neck. Thanks to this, Chris was able to learn 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 famous physicist. He defied time and his 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 raising his head, and has difficulty breathing. Hawking, 51, was told about the disease 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 military service in the fleet, took part in the battle of Lepanto, where he was seriously wounded by a shot from an arcade, which is why he lost his left arm.

Pavel Luspekayev, actor (Vereshchagin from “White Sun of the Desert”) - Amputated feet.

Grigory Zhuravlev, artist - from birth he was without arms and legs. He painted pictures with a brush in his mouth.

Admiral Nelson- without a hand and an eye.

Homer(blindness) ancient Greek poet, author of the Odyssey

Franklin Roosevelt(poliomyelitis) 32nd President of the United States

Ludwig Beethoven(deafness with age) great German composer

Stevie Wonder(blind) American musician

Marlene Matlin(deafness) American actress. She became the first and only deaf actress to win an Academy Award for Best female role in the film "Children of a Lesser God"

Christopher Reeve(paralysis) American actor

Grigory Zhuravlev(absence 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 Gudayevna Gurtskaya- Russian Georgian singer. Member of the Union of Right Forces.

Valentin Ivanovich Dikul. In 1962, Valentin Dikul fell from high altitude while performing a trick in the circus. The doctors’ verdict was merciless: “ Compression fracture spine in lumbar region and traumatic brain injury." . One of Dikul’s main achievements was his own rehabilitation method, protected by copyright certificates and patents. In 1988 it was opened Russian center rehabilitation of patients with spinal injuries and the consequences of childhood cerebral palsy» — the center of Dikul. In subsequent years, 3 more V.I. Dikul centers were opened in Moscow alone. Then under scientific guidance Valentin Ivanovich, a number of rehabilitation clinics appeared throughout Russia, in Israel, Germany, Poland, America, etc.

Honored Master of Sports, athlete Omsk center Paralympic training Elena Chistilina. She won silver at the XIII Paralympic Games in Beijing and two bronze medals at the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games, and has repeatedly won Russian championships. In 2006, by Decree of the President of Russia, the athlete was awarded the medal of the Order of Merit for 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 Lagiatico in the province of Tuscany. Despite his blindness, he became one of the most memorable voices of modern opera and pop music. Bocelli is equally good at performing classical repertoire and pop ballads. He recorded duets with Celine Dion, Sarah Brightman, Eros Razazzotti and Al Jarre. The latter, who sang “The Night Of Proms” with him in November 1995, said about Bocelli: “I had the honor of singing with the most beautiful voice in the world”...

Stephen William Hawking(English: Stephen William Hawking, born January 8, 1942, Oxford, UK) is one of the most scientifically influential theoretical physicists of our time 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 incurable disease - multiple sclerosis. This is a disease in which motor neurons gradually die and the person becomes more and more helpless... After throat surgery in 1985, he lost the ability to speak. Friends gave him a speech synthesizer, which was installed on his wheelchair and with the help of which Hawking can communicate with others.
Married twice, three children, grandchildren.

Daniela Rozzek- “wheelchair rider”, German Paralympian - fencing. In addition to playing sports, she studies at a design school and works at a center for helping the elderly. Raises 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 disability - without one hand. She was a very interesting, talented person, communicated with a large circle of talented people of her era.

Sarah Bernhardt- March 24, 1824 - March 26, 1923, actress (“divine Sarah”). Many outstanding theater figures, for example K. S. Stanislavsky, considered Bernard's art a model of technical excellence. However, Bernard combined virtuoso skill, sophisticated technique, and artistic taste with deliberate showiness and a certain artificiality of play. In 1905, during a tour in Rio de Janeiro, the actress injured her right leg; in 1915, the leg had to be amputated. Nevertheless, Bernard did not leave the stage. During the First World War, Bernard performed at the front. In 1914 she was awarded the Order of the Legion of Honor.

Stevie Wonder- May 13, 1950 American soul singer, composer, pianist and producer. He is called the greatest musician of our time, achieved impressive successes in the musical field, being blind from birth, he received a Grammy Award 22 times; Wonder’s name is immortalized in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Composers Hall of Fame.

Everyone now knows about the Paralympic movement. Some Paralympic athletes are just as famous as their able-bodied counterparts. And some of these amazing people challenge ordinary athletes and not only compete on 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, Marcus was involved in wakeboarding. At the age of 14, as a result of a training accident, he lost right leg below the knee. Despite this, Markus returned to the sport and in 2005 won the German youth wakeboarding championship.
After this, Rem switched to athletics and took up long jumping and sprinting using a special prosthesis like the one Oscar Pistorius has. In 2011-2014, Rehm won a lot of tournaments among athletes with disabilities, including the 2012 Paralympics in London (gold in the long jump and bronze in the 4x100 meter relay).
In 2014, Rehm won the long jump at the German Championship among ordinary athletes, ahead of former European champion Christian Reif. However, the German Athletics Union did not allow Rehm to participate in the 2014 European Championships: biomechanical measurements showed that due to the use of a prosthesis, the athlete had some advantages over ordinary athletes.

2. Natalie du Toit. SOUTH AFRICA. Swimming

Natalie was born on January 29, 1984 in Cape Town. Since childhood, she has been swimming. At the age of 17, while returning from training, Natalie was hit by a car. Doctors had to amputate the girl left leg. However, Natalie continued to play sports, and competed not only with Paralympians, but also with able-bodied athletes. In 2003, she won the All-Africa Games in the 800 meters and took bronze in the Afro-Asian Games in the 400 meters freestyle.
At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, du Toit competed in the 10 km race. open water on a par with healthy athletes and took 16th place out of 25 participants. She became the first athlete in history to carry 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 into a wealthy family. Oscar had a congenital physical disability - he was missing fibulas in both legs. So that the boy could use prosthetics, 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 designed from carbon fiber, a very durable and lightweight material.
Among athletes with disabilities, Pistorius had no equal in sprinting: 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 able-bodied athletes. Sports officials initially resisted this: first it was believed that the springy prosthetics would give Pistorius an advantage over other runners, then there were concerns that the prosthetics could cause injury to other athletes. In 2008, Oscar Pistorius finally won the right to participate in competitions for ordinary athletes. In 2011, he won a silver medal as a member of the South African team in the 4x100 meter relay.
Oscar Pistorius's career ended on February 14, 2013, when he murdered his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Pistorius claimed that he committed the murder by mistake, mistaking the girl for a robber, but the court considered the murder premeditated and sentenced the athlete to 5 years in prison.

4. Natalia Partyka. Poland. Table tennis

Natalya Partyka was born with a congenital disability - without her right hand and forearm. Despite this, Natalya played table tennis since childhood: she played holding the 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 Championships, in 2008 and 2014 at the adult European Championships she won bronze, and in 2009, silver.

5. Héctor 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 - "The One-Armed One".
As a member of the Uruguay national team, Castro won the 1928 Olympics and the first FIFA World Cup in 1930 (Castro scored the last goal in the final), as well as two championships South America and three Uruguay championships.
After finishing his football career, Castro became a coach. Under his leadership, his home club Nacional won the national championship 5 times.

6. Murray Halberg New Zealand. Athletics

Murray Halberg was born on July 7, 1933 in New Zealand. In his youth he played rugby, but during one of the matches he received serious injury left hand. Despite all the efforts of the doctors, the arm remained paralyzed.
Despite his disability, Halberg did not give up sports, but switched to long-distance running. Already in 1954 he won his first title at the national level. At the 1958 Commonwealth Games he won gold in the three mile race and was voted New Zealand Sportsman of the Year.
At the 1960 Rome Olympics, 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 in the Commonwealth Games, where he carried the New Zealand flag at the opening ceremony and defended his title over three miles. Murray Halberg ended his athletic career in 1964 after competing in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, finishing seventh in the 10,000 meters.
Leaving big sport, Halberg became involved in 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 honorary title Knight Bachelor for service to sports and disabled children.

7. Takács Károly. Hungary. Pistol shooting

Already in the 1930s, the Hungarian soldier Károly Takács was considered a world-class marksman. However, he was unable to take part in the 1936 Olympics, since he only had the rank of sergeant, and only officers were accepted into the shooting team. In 1938, as a result of the explosion of a faulty grenade, Takach was torn off. right hand. 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.
At the 1948 London Olympics, Takács won the pistol shooting competition, breaking the world record. Four years later Olympic Games In Helsinki, Károly Takács successfully defended his title and became the first ever two-time Olympic champion in rapid-fire pistol shooting.
After finishing his career as an athlete, Takács worked as a coach. His student Szilard Kuhn became a silver medalist at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki.

8. Lim Dong Hyun. South Korea. Archery

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

9. Oliver Halassy (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. Halassi was a member of the Hungarian water floor team, the world leader in the sport in the 1920s and 1930s. As a member of the national team, he won three European Championships (in 1931, 1934 and 1938) and two Olympics (in 1932 and 1936), and also became a silver medalist at the 1928 Olympics.
In addition, Halassi showed good results in freestyle swimming, but only at the national level. He won about 30 gold medals at the Hungarian championships, but at the international level his results were weaker: only in 1931 he won the European Championship in the 1500 meters freestyle, and did not compete in swimming at all at the Olympic Games.
At the end sports career Oliver Halassi worked as an auditor.
Oliver Halassi 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 unclear.

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 his name - George Acer.
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 the pommel horse and exercises on 7 apparatus - silver; exercises on the horizontal bar - bronze). Thus, George Acer is the most decorated amputee athlete in Olympic history.
At the same Olympics, Eiser participated in triathlon (long jump, shot put and 100-meter dash), but took last, 118th place.
After the Olympic triumph, Eiser continued to perform as a member of the Concordia gymnastics team. In 1909, he won the National Gymnastics Festival in Cincinnati.

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, are not offended by life. On the contrary, they take everything she gives them.

It happens that people with disabilities are much more successful than people who were born fully functional.

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

Of course, such people strong will. And after this, 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’s about these people people will go speech in this article.

Nick Vujicic

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

Despite the absence 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 small children ask him why he doesn’t have a limb, Nick answers that he didn’t clean his room or smoked a lot.

Began his activities in 1999. From that time on, he began speaking in prisons and churches, motivating people who had fallen in spirit that nothing was lost yet.

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 Borders: The Path to an Amazingly 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 national park Aoraki.

In 1982, an accident occurs resulting in Mark and his partner Philip getting stuck in a cave due to a strong storm. The climbers stayed there 13 days waiting for salvation. During this time, Mark froze his feet. After the rescue, it was decided to amputate his legs.

But even though the climber was left without legs, this did not deprive him of his dream of conquering Everest. He had to use prosthetics to achieve his dream.

There were long preparations for this ascent. And in the end Mark conquered the most high 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 extensive research on the theory of black holes and the theory big bang. In the early 1960s, signs of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis began to appear. This later led to paralysis.

In 1963, doctors believed 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 active life. In 2007, a zero-gravity flight was carried out inside an airplane.

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

Jessica Long (Tatyana Olegovna Kirillova)

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

She began using prosthetics to walk. Despite the absence of legs, Tatyana was involved in many sports. Since the beginning of 2002, she began training 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 abandoned her, as a result of which Tatyana ended up in an orphanage. In 1994, she was adopted by Deborah McFadden.

The adoptive mother begins to introduce the girl to various types sports to strengthen her body. At the age of 15 he competes in the Paralympic Games in Athens.

Eric Weihenmayer

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 wrestling. He competed on behalf of his state in the championship. Engaged in the following sports:

• Skiing;
• Parachuting;
• Diving;
• Rock climbing.

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