It is easy to feel alone, until you start to learn about famous people with disabilities. There are many people who overcame their own personal challenges and social stigma and make a real difference in the world. Here are seven examples of some of the most famous people with disabilities – some you may have known about and some may surprise you!
Here are 7 famous people with disabilities:
Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr., (1930 to present) also known as Buzz Aldrin, was the second person to walk on the moon, landing with Neil Armstrong on July 20, 1969. Buzz Aldrin has bipolar disorder.
Sir Winston Churchill, (1874 to 1965), led Great Britain during World War II and is often referred to as one of the greatest statesman that ever lived. A man of many talents (speaker, author, painter, reporter and soldier), Winston Churchill also was afflicted with bipolar disorder.
William Jefferson Clinton, (1946 to present), is also known as Bill Clinton, the 42nd President of the United States. Bill Clinton has a hearing impairment and uses hearing aids.
Tom Cruise, (1962 to present), is an actor who is certainly a household name today. His career began to take off after getting the role in “Risky Business”, and skyrocketed after his performance in “Top Gun”. Tom Cruise has dyslexia, as did his mother and all his siblings.
Albert Einstein, (1879 to 1955), is considered a genius and one of the greatest scientists of all time and with his theory of relativity, ushered in the modern atomic age. Albert Einstein had a learning disability and did very poorly in public schools.
Ernest Hemingway, (1899 to 1961), is a very well known American novelist, writing such works as “A Farwell to Arms” and “For Whom the Bell Tolls”. Ernest Hemingway suffered both physical and mental illnesses and ended his own life battling suicidal depression in 1961.
Robin Williams, (1951 to present), is a very well known actor/comedian who launched is career with the 1978 TV show “Mork and Mindy”, also has many comedy albums and movies, such as the 1987 film “Good Morning, Vietnam”. Robin Williams is diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
These are only a few of the more “famous of the famous” and there are many more people who have used their strengths instead of dwelling on their challenges and have full, productive, and happy lives. Knowing there are others out there, and many famous people with disabilities, can instill hope and help you feel just a little less alone.