Famous Celebrities
Major league baseball pitcher who has played for the California Angels, Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago White Sox, and New York Yankees and was born with only one hand.
Jim Abbott
Well-known musical composer who started to become deaf at age 26 and continued his work as a composer long after his hearing loss.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Football running back from the Buffalo Bills who had special education in school who has a learning disability and eventually had successful college and NFL football careers.
Frank Gore
A well-known actor that was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 12 who said,
"I think it's made me who I am today. It's given me a perspective of you have to keep working.
I have never given up."
Patrick Dempsey
A student with a disability may receive special education services.
True! A student may have services such as an IEP or a 504 plan in school.
Successful movie producer, director, screen writer, animator, and theme park developer who struggled in school when he was young.
Walt Disney
Drummer who played with Def Leppard from the age of 15 who later lost an arm in a car accident and became known as The Thunder God because of his tremendous drumming talent.
Rick Allen
One of the world's foremost experts on "Black Holes," was a professor of mathematics at Cambridge University, the author of several books on the universe and was diagnosed with ALS
Dr. Stephen Hawking
One of the most influential and well-known composers of all times who began to lose his hearing at age 26 and eventually became deaf.
Ludwig van Beethoven
There are people all over the world who are very successful and they have a disability.
True!
We've seen just a few examples today.
Well-known American swimmer who holds many titles and records including the record for most medals won at a single Olympics and was diagnosed with ADHD in elementary school.
Michael Phelps
One of Ancient Rome's most famous figures who was the first commander of the Roman army to invade England and had epilepsy which is also known as seizure disorder.
Julius Caesar
Well-known actress who won an Academy Award at age 21 for her performance in the movie Children of a Lesser God who has been deaf since she was 18 months old.
Marlee Matlin
A famous singer, record producer, songwriter, and musician who lost all vision shortly after he was born.
By the age of 12, he had already signed his first recording deal with Motown Records.
Stevie Wonder
Self-Advocacy helps a person with a disability create more success in their life.
True!
A very successful comedian, actor, writer and producer who has multiple sclerosis.
Richard Pryor
Book author who was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy in her thirties and in 1985 became the first female Chief of the Cherokee Nation.
Wilma Mankiller
Actor, author, model and known best for his role as carpenter and television host for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and was diagnosed when he was young with ADHD.
Ty Pennington
A worldwide star of film and tv, author, and advocate who was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease at age 29.
He's now 58 years old and continues to work as an actor, author, and speaker.
Michael J. Fox
All people, including a person with a disability need to follow their dreams and create goals in life.
True!
Award-winning actress, comedian, singer, and talk show host who struggled in school and as an adult learned she had dyslexia.
Whoopi Goldberg
Well-known physicist, author and philosopher and scientist who did not talk until age four and did not learn to read until he was nine.
Albert Einstein
A famous inventor and scientist who created over 1000 inventions struggled with math and had difficulty with speech.
At age 12 he was thrown out of school for being "dumb".
Thomas Edison
One of the most famous wheelchair skaters in the world.
In 2006 he made the first somersault in wheelchair history.
Aaron Fotheringham
Even famous celebrities benefit from being great Self-Advocates.
True!
By speaking up and following their dreams they have very successful lives!