1. Turia Pitt was severely burned in a fire
The story of the Australian model Turia Pitt who lost her face in a fire leaves no one indifferent. When she was 24, she was caught up in a terrible fire. As a result, 64% of her body was burned. She spent six months in hospital, went through many operations, and lost all the fingers on her right hand, as well as three on her left. However, she has overcome this and now lives a full life, taking part in photo shoots, surfing, riding, and biking. She also works as a mining engineer.
2. Nando Parrado survived a plane crash and waited 72 days for help
Nando Parrado was one of 16 survivors of a horrific plane crash that happened in the Andes Mountains in October 1972. He had to drink melting snow and sleep side-by-side with the other survivors so they did not freeze to death. There was little food, so they had to eat anything they could find in the forest. Some 60 days after the crash, Nando and two of his friends decided to go for help. Nando lost most of his family in the crash, and he lost 90 lbs over the following two months. Now he is a motivational speaker and tells people how to achieve their goals in life.
3. Jessica Cox is the world’s first licensed armless pilot
Ms. Cox was born without arms due to a rare birth defect. Her parents did everything for her to lead a normal life and this led her to learn how to eat by herself, get dressed, write, and attend regular school. Since her childhood, she was afraid of flying, and even swings scared her. However, she decided to face her fear. Back in 2008, she qualified to fly a light-sport aircraft. This was how she became the first armless pilot in the world and made it into the Guinness World Records.
4. Tanni Grey-Thompson became world famous as a successful wheelchair racer
Tanni was born with spina bifida and is a wheelchair user. She decided to become a wheelchair racer, and she is now one of the best in the world.
5. Sean Swarner has conquered cancer and visited the highest peak on all seven continents.
Mr. Swarner is the only person in the world who survived Hodgkin’s disease and Askin’s sarcoma. He was first diagnosed at 13 and was given just three months to live. Though he managed to beat his first cancer, it returned in the form of a golf-ball sized tumor in his right lung. After the second operation, he was given just 2 weeks to live. However, Sean survived. In 2002, he reached the summit of Mount Everest and became the first cancer survivor to conquer this mighty peak.
6. Jillian Mercado, a wheelchair user, became a successful fashion model
This woman proved that you don’t need to comply with standards to become a fashion model. All you need to do is love yourself and your body, even if it’s not perfect. When she was a child, she was diagnosed with spastic muscular dystrophy and has had to use a wheelchair since then. However, this didn’t stop her from becoming part of the fashion world.
7. Esther Vergeer is a wheelchair tennis player who has won 71 titles
When she was a child, Esther was diagnosed with a vascular myelopathy around her spinal cord. The operation she needed left her unable to walk. During her rehabilitation, she learned how to play basketball, tennis, and volleyball in a wheelchair. Eventually, she chose tennis and went on to become a 42-time Grand Slam tournament winner.
8. Michael J. Fox lives with Parkinson’s disease and supports others
The leading star of Back to the Future was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease when just 30 years old. After this diagnosis, he became addicted to alcohol. However, he managed to overcome this addiction, and he became a strong advocate of Parkinson’s disease research. Thanks to his efforts, $350 million has been raised for the research of this disease.
9. Patrick Henry Hughes became a musician despite his blindness and inability to walk
Patrick was born without eyes and unable to fully straighten his arms and legs, making him unable to walk. His father introduced him to the piano at the age of 9 months. He later went to the University of Louisville and was invited to join the Louisville Marching Band, playing the trumpet while his father pushed his wheelchair through the marching routines. Since then, he has given a lot of concerts in the USA and has been on many TV shows with his family.
10. Mark Inglis is the only double leg amputee in the world to summit Mount Everest
In 1987, Mark Inglis lost both of his legs after suffering from frostbite on one of his expeditions. However, this didn’t stop him. He trained a lot and managed to summit the highest peak in the world. He lives in New Zealand with his wife and three children, he’s written 4 books, and now works as a motivational speaker.
