YOU TOO CAN HELP PEOPLE FLY WITHOUT WINGS

FLY SAUHRIDA CAMP 2010: FLY organised a three day rejuvenation camp from 19-21 December 2010 at Aarogya Niketanam, Annur, Payyanur. The camp was structured to create a natural urge to over come the conditioned helplessness of physically challenged persons towards barriers; bodily, mental and physical. More than a hundred persons participated in the camp. The students and teachers of the Department of English, Payyanur College associated themselves with the camp on all the three days, providing the participants moral support in a big way and financial support in a small way. They have also performed the PUPPET PLAY NAGAMANDALA on 20-12-2010 in the camp. It was for the students a rare opportunity to realize the difficulties faced by the physically challenged persons. The camp opened the eyes of the students to the realities of marginalized existence they hitherto failed to sense in full gravity and they found themselves enlightened by the struggles and creativity of the participants with which each one of the campers tried to define her/his life and overcome the limitations imposed on them by existence and the mainstream society. The snap that you find above is one instance of creativity inspired by the camp.


The Physically Challenged: Tom Heeren celebrates the importance of people with other abilities

We are not DISABLED
Nor handicapped...
Oh, gosh, they are scared
Of ghosts of the past.

We are not deaf-mutes–
but we are Deaf so we
Can hear Madonna’s loud music so
we can see signs.
We gather the sounds of Nature as we stroll
through the tranquil park.
God makes us heed the glory of angels
creating a world of good will towards
people with and without disabilities.

We are not crippled–
why are foes attempting to
stamp a rubber stigma on
Our foreheads like victims
of ugly prejudice?

Well, we are
physically challenged
After all.


JUST READ WHAT OTHERWISE CAPABLE PEOPLE DID
ABBOTT Bud, 1900-1974, (epilepsy),
American Comedian of Abbott & Costello comedy team. Starred in over 35 films with partner Lou Costello from 1940-1965. Famous for the baseball classic comedy routine "Who’s on First?"
{16,27,32}

ABBOTT Jim, 1967-present, (no right hand),
Major league baseball pitcher. He played Little League and later with his high school team. He attended the University of Michigan and then pursued his baseball career. Won the Golden Spikes Award as the finest amateur baseball player in the US. Played on the 1988 U.S. Olympic Baseball team and pitched a gold medal for the US team. He played baseball for the California Angels and was traded to the New York Yankees.
{43}

ABERCROMBIE Neil, 1938-present, (epilepsy),
United States Representative from Hawaii (1986-1987). Served on the Honolulu City Council (1988-1990). Sought the Democratic Nomination for US Senate in 1970. First elected to the House on November 6, 1990. Last elected to House on November 8, 1994.
{27}

ALDRIDGE Lionel, 1941-present, (mental disorder),
A defensive end for Vince Loumbardi’s legendary Green Bay Packers of the 1960’s. He played in two Super Bowls. In the 1970’s he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and was homeless for 2 1/2 years. Now gives inspirational talks about his battle against paranoid schizophrenia.
{58}

ALDRIN Edwin Eugene Jr [Buzz], 1930-present, (bipolar disorder),
United States Astronaut-second person to set foot on the moon. He and Neil Armstrong landed there in the Apollo Lunar Module on July 20, 1969. He was also the pilot of the Gemini 12 space flight in 1966.
{85}

ALEXANDER Grover Cleveland, 1887-1950, (epilepsy),
Professional baseball player (Old Pete) (Alex the Great). He was a pitcher who won 28 games in his rookie season. He was deaf in one ear. He was also an alcoholic and epileptic. Over his lifetime he won 373 games. He was a 30 game winner three years running. He pitched 90 shutouts/struck out 2198 batters-completed 436 games and earned a 1.22 ERA and .642 winning percentage.
{27,57}

ALEXANDER the Great,356-323BC, (physical impairment) (epilepsy),
King of the Macedonians and was one of the greatest generals in history.
{85}

ALFRED the Great,849-901?, (epilepsy)
West Saxon King and Scholar. Old English literary prose. King of the West Saxons in Southwestern England. He saved his kingdom-Wessex from the Danish Vikings and laid the basis for unification of England under the West Saxon Monarchy. He was such an outstanding leader in war and peace that he is the only English king known as the Great
{27,70,85}

ALI Mohammad, 1942-present, (neuromuscular)
American heavyweight boxing champion. Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay but in 1964 he adopted the Black Muslim Religion and changed his name. As an adult was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.,
{36,85}

ALONSO Alicia, 1921-present, (visual impairment),
At 16 she married Fernando Alonso and moved to New York City from Cuba. Due to detached retinas she lost her sight. She still continued to dance in ballet. In 1948 she and her husband returned to Cuba. She opened Cuba’s first major ballet company.
{43}

AMBROSI Gustinus , 1893-1975, (hearing impairment),
Working primarily in bronze and marble he created sculptures in the classical tradition. He was also the master of the portrait bust. As sculptor, poet, graphic artist and philosopher Ambrosi symbolized to many a Renaissance man who had surmounted his fate. Shortly before this seventh birthday he was stricken with meningitis resulting in deafness. In 1912 he received both the National Prize for Sculpture and the Felix Von Weingartner Medallion.
{30}

ANDERSON Hans Christian, 1805-1875, (learning disability),
Denmark's most famous author(writer). His fairy tales are among the most widely read works in world literature.
{85}

ANDERSON Harry, 1952-present, (attention deficit disorder),
Actor who played Judge Stone on Night Court has attention deficit disorder and has managed to con and charm his way through school. He had an extraordinary memory and could remember anything at 16. He was Valedictorian but, he could barely read to rehearse his lines. He is also a magician and writer.
{4}

ARAFAT Yasir [Mohammed Abdel-Raouf Arafat-al-Qudwa-al- Hussseini], 1929-present, (neuromuscular),
Politician and Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1969. He acquired the nickname Yasir which means easy going as a teenager. In 1994 Arafat shared the Nobel Peace Prize for peace efforts with Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres. In 1996 he was elected president. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease later in life.
{85}

ARISTOLE,384-322 BC, (epilepsy),
Greek philosopher/scientist. Aristotle was a student of Plato. In 343 BC he began tutoring the young Alexander the Great. In 334 BC he lectured at a public gymnasium called the Lyceum. He is considered one of the two great philosophers of antiquity along with Plato. He wrote on many subjects from biology to astronomy to rhetoric and literary criticism.
{26}

ARMES Jay J., 1938-present, (physical impairment),
Born [Julian Armas] but changed his name to Jay J. Armes. He was born in Ysleta Texas. In 1949 at the age of 12 he was involved in an accident that resulted in both of his hands being amputated and hooks were placed as artificial hands. Some people say he’s the best private eye in the world.
{33,43}

ARNOLD Hillis, 1910-present, (hearing impairment),
American sculptor and teacher who lost his hearing at six months of age due to spinal meningitis. He taught sculpture and ceramics for 32 years at Monticello College in Godfrey IL now Lewis and Clark Community College. He is an advocate of symbolism and his art reveals a debt to expressionism.
{43}

ASHLEY Jack, 1922-present, (hearing impairment)
Politician. Jack is probably the only totally deaf member of any legislature in the world. His story is an inspiring record of coping with restricted education and vocational opportunities and with the impact of total deafness. His career was threatened in 1968 when he became totally deaf after a supposedly minor operation for the repair of the perforation of his left ear. His autobiography (Journey into Silence) 1973 describes his feelings on returning to Parliament following this disaster.
{43}

BADER, Douglas Sir, 1910-1982, (physical impairment),
Pilot-War Hero, was a fighter pilot and wing commander in Great Britain's Royal Air Force. He introduced fighting tactics that saved the lives of many British pilots. He lost both legs in a plane crash several years before World War II. He refused to be defeated by his disability. He was awarded both the Distinguished Services Order and the Distinguished Flying Cross for leadership and valor in action.
{43}

BALAGUER Joaquin, 1907-present, (visual impairment),
President of Dominican Republic, politician and author who served in Madrid from 1932-1935, Under Secretary Foreign Affairs. Government of UN 1947. Founder of Reformist Party 1962, leader 1962-1985.
{24,28,82}

BALLARD Kaye, 1926-present, (hearing impairment),
Stage actor and TV comedienne who starred in television series The Mothers-in-Law 1967-1969.
{4}

BEATTY Ned, 1937-present, (bipolar disorder),
American Actor. Appeared in films Deliverance 1972, Superman 1978.
{4}

BEETHOVEN Ludwig Von, 1770-1827, (bipolar depression) (hearing impairment),
Brilliant composer who experienced bipolar depression and lost his hearing in 1800.
{35,85}

BELAFONTE Harry, 1927-present, (learning disability),
American singer and motion picture actor who became best known for his interpretation of West Indian Calypso music, popularized Asian and African songs as well as American ballads and spirituals.
{4,11}

BELL Alexander Graham, 1847-1922, (learning disability),
An American inventor and educator. Best known for his invention of the telephone.
{85}

BELL Buddy [David Gus Bell], 1951-present, (epilepsy),
Professional baseball player and manager of the Detroit Tigers. Five time All Star 1973, 1980-82 and 1984.
{85}

BERLIOZ Hector, 1803-1869, (epilepsy)
French composer, major work Symphonic Fantastique 1830, known for his orchestrating genius, his long, uninterrupted melodies, and his way of relating his musical compositions to stories, ideas known as program music.
{11,85}

BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON [Lemon Jefferson Couchman], 1897-1929, (vision impairment)
Blind from childhood he was the most popular male blues recording artist of the 1920s, making over 100 recordings in the last four years of his life with 43 records issued, all but one on the Paramount label.

BLIND WILLIE MCTELL [Willie Samuel McTear], 1901-1959, (vision impairment)
Musician. McTell learned guitar as a youngster from his mother, made his recording debut in 1927 after working as a street singer and medicine show minstrel. In the 1930s he recorded 48 sides for four companies under four different names. He was the only survivor of his era to make Library of Congress field recordings and postwar records for the R&B market as well.

BONAPARTE Napoleon [Napoleon I], 1769-1821, (epilepsy),
French Emperor who crowned himself as emperor of France. He was the greatest military genius of his time and perhaps the greatest general in history. He stood 5 foot 2 inches tall which is about average for Frenchman of his time.
{85}

BONERZ Peter, 1938-present, (speech impairment),
American actor and director of episodes of Bob Newhart Show 1972-1978, director of
It’s Your Move 1984.
{20}

BOOTH Edmund, 1810-1905, (visual impairment),
Edmund Booth was nearly 6 feet 3 inches tall over 200 pounds. He was blind in one eye and profoundly deaf. He edited an Iowa newspaper (Anamosa Eureka) from 1856 to 1895. Before settling on a career he was a teacher, farmer, postmaster, country recorder, enrollment clerk in Iowa territorial legislature and California gold miner. He helped organize the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) in 1880.
{43}

BORGES Jorge Luis, 1899-1986, (visual impairment)
He was an Argentine man of letters. He won international acclaim for his distinctive fictions and short stories. He was a librarian too.
{23,85}

BOVE Linda, 1945-present, (hearing impairment),
Bove who is deaf started on Sesame Street in 1971 and in 1976 she became a permanent member of the show. Also was the female lead in Spoon River Anthology. Her parents were also deaf. In college she majored in Library Science and took part in dramatics where she claimed her performances as Polly Peachum in Three Penny Opera. She has contributed greatly to children's theater and is one of the first five members who started Little Theater for the Deaf. She also is a member of the National Theaters of the Deaf. She has also appeared on Search for Tomorrow, Dick Cavett Show and Happy Days.
{43}

BRADY James, 1940-present, (traumatic brain injury)
Former White House Press Secretary who was shot in the head in an assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan in 1981. He is also responsible for the Brady Bill.
{56}

BRAILLE Louis, 1809-1852, (visual impairment),
Blind Frenchman who developed braille alphabet and reading system. He became blind at the age of 3 from an accident. In 1829 Braille published his dot system.
{56}

BRIDGMAN Laura, 1829-1889, (deaf and blind),
First deaf-blind student ever educated in the United States. She became deaf and blind due to scarlet fever. In 1837 she came to the attention of Samuel G. Howe - founder and director of Perkins School for the Blind. This is where she learned to read, write and do math. She became a good seamstress and learned to sew on a sewing machine. She could deftly thread a needle with her tongue.
{43,56}

BRODERSON Morris, 1928-present, (hearing impairment),
Artist who is known as a noted digressive painter. He gained national recognition with the painting of The Chicken Market (1960). Deaf at birth and educated in California. Many of his themes are from his travels.
{43}

BROWN Christy, 1932-1981, (physical impairment),
Author born in Dublin Ireland. At birth he lacked oxygen for a few minutes causing him to have a condition called athetoid cerebral palsy. Christy learned to read by age 7 and write by holding a chalk or pencil with his left foot. He wrote his autobiography My Left Foot.
{43}

BYRON Lord, 1788-1824, (epilepsy),
He was the most colorful of the English poets. He inherited the (George Gordon Byron) title Lord Byron at the age of 10 upon the death of his great uncle.
{85}

BUCHWALD Art, 1925-present, (bipolar disorder),
Writer and humorist American newspaper columnist who specializes in political and social satire. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 1982.
{85}

BUDDHA [Siddhartha Gautama],563BC-483BC, (epilepsy),
Indian philosopher and founder of Buddhism c.528 BC. Renounced world at age 29 to search for solution to human suffering. The word Buddha means Enlightened One.
{12,27,85}

BURKE Chris, 1965-present, (developmental disability)
Actor. Chris was a gentle happy child who loved to meet people. He would watch TV and learn the lines. Chris enrolled in a theater class for disabled students held near his school in Pennsylvania. For two years he learned about costumes improvisation and set design. His work in theater also improved his speech and reading skills. At 21 he started looking for work. At a workshop he worked with no talking allowed. His mother came to meet him there and was appalled. He never worked there again. The director Michael Braverman was seeking young actors with Down Syndrome for a TV pilot. Would Chris like to try out for the part. The pilot Desperate aired on ABC in September 1987. In 1989 he had the main role in the series Life Goes On. The show ran until spring of 1993.
{43}

BURTON Richard, 1925-1984, (epilepsy),
Welsh actor who won Tony Award in 1961 for Camelot. Nominated for seven Oscars. Known for his Shakespearean -stage performances and his collaborations with actress Elizabeth Taylor to whom he married twice.
{16,26,32}

BURTON Tim, 1958-present, (bipolar)
Artist and Movie Director -American director of off beat movies such as PeeWee's Big Adventure 1985, Beetlejuice 1988, Batman 1989.
{4}

BUTLER Beverly, 1932-present, (visual impairment),
Born with cataracts in both eyes and later developed glaucoma. Her first book was a young adult novel called Song of the Voyageurs 1955. In 1964 her most popular book was published and entitled Light a Single Candle. She continues to write historical novels for young adult fiction readers.
{43}

CALLAHAN John, 1951-present, (quadriplegia),
Cartoonist and activist. Many of Callahan's cartoons view ordinary situations from disabled people's perspective. In a series of cartoon strips called How to Relate to Handicapped People, he spoofs the awkwardness many people feel when meeting a person with a disability. He also pokes fun at doctors, lawyers, criminals and cops, movie stars and politicians. His autobiography Don't Worry He Won't Get Far on Foot!,
{43}

CAMPANELLA Roy, 1921-1993, (spinal cord injury),
In 1948 he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers. He won the league's Most Valuable Player Award in 1951, 1953 and 1955. Due to an icy storm in January 1958 while driving home his car hit a patch of ice and skidded off the road. The accident left Roy a quadriplegic from the neck down. Roy was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969.
{43}

CAMPEAU Robert, 1924-present, (bipolar)
Canadian financier, real estate executive developer, founder Campeau Construction Co. 1953 executed hostile takeover of Allied Stores Corp 1986 and Federated Department Stores 1988.
{4}

CANNELL Stephen, 1943-present, (learning disability)
American television producer, writer, creator and producer of many successful series.
{4}

CAPOTE Truman, 1924-1984, (communication disorder),
Author of Breakfast at Tiffany's filmed 1961. American writer who made an impressive literary debut at 24 with his novel Other Voices Other Rooms.
{12}

CARROLL Lewis [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson], 1832-1898, (epilepsy),
Mathematician and author of Through the Looking Glass and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. It wasn't until 20 years after these writings that he was actually diagnosed with epilepsy following a convulsive seizure in 1886.
{12,27}

CAVETT Dick [ Richard Alva Cavett], 1936-present, (bipolar)
American entertainer who won 3 Emmy's for ABC's Dick Cavett Show 1968-1972. hosted PBS' The Dick Cavett Show for five years, wrote Cavett 1974.
{4}

CEASAR Julius, 100-44 BC, (epilepsy),
Roman General and Statesman. Julius Caesar's seizures are well documented. He told others that during his seizures he received messages from the Gods.
{27}

CHAMBERLIN Judi, 1944-present, (mental illness)
Disabilities activist. Following the loss of her baby, she became distressed, withdrawn from friends and family. She willingly entered a psychiatric hospital thinking this would help her out of her current mental situation. After 6 months she realized that all she was getting was treatment via medication and the drugs made her lethargic and confused. She also had no legal rights. Her clothes and belongings were taken from her-supposedly for safe keeping. When she failed to improve at the private hospital, she was told she would have to be transferred to a state hospital. She was horrified. She got permission to make phone calls and contacted the Legal Aid Society and the American Civil Liberties Union. No one wanted to hear her story. After 60 days she was discharged from the state hospital. By 1991 she joined an organization called Mental Patients Liberation Project which questioned the very existence of mental illness. As a member she wrote articles and appeared on radio talk shows. In Boston she co-founded a group called Mental Patients Liberation Front. Author of On Our Own Patient-Controlled Alternatives to the Mental Health System 1978.
{43}

CHARLES Ray [Ray Charles Robinson], 1930-present, (visual impairment),
Singer and composer. Blind by age seven due to glaucoma.
{33}

CHER [Cherilyn Sarkisian LaPierre], 1946-present, (learning disability)
Her success in music, movies, television, and on stage over nearly four decades qualifies her as one of the most enduring entertainers of our time.
{77}

CHRISTIE Agatha, 1890-1976, (mental illness)
English mystery writer Queen of Crimes. Play Mousetrap longest running in British history. Created detectives Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot, mysteries sold over 100 million copies.
{4,16}

CHURCHILL Winston Sir, 1874-1965, (bipolar)
Became one of the greatest statesman in world history. He was Prime Minister of Great Britain during World War II. He also was a noted speaker, author, painter, soldier, and war reporter.
{54,61,85}

CLAIBORNE Loretta, 1953-present, (developmental disability)
Champion long-distance runner. First person with mental retardation to serve on the Special Olympics International Board of Directors. She is believed to be the first person with mental retardation ever awarded an honorary doctoral degree.
{16}

CLARKE John Louis, 1881-1970, (hearing impairment),
His Indian ancestry and environment led him to his fame in wood carving. His father was half Blackfeet Indian and known as Chief Stand Alone and his mother was full blooded Blackfeet and known as First Kill. At 2 years of age he had a severe attack of scarlet fever which left him deaf. He liked to carve in cottonwood and his favorite two animals to carve were bears and goats. He also modeled in clay, painted in oil and watercolor and drew in crayon and charcoal. He was known among American sculptors as The Bowie Knife Sculptor. His best medium was wood.
{30}

CLELAND Max, 1942-present, (amputee),
Senator from Georgia and former director of the Veterans Administration. Lost both legs and an arm in Vietnam and has used a wheelchair since 1974. Known as Joseph Maxwell Cleland.
{74}

CLIFFORD Max, 1943-present, (epilepsy),
Max left school at the age of 15. He has become one of Britain's successful public relations consultants. In the 1960's he worked for EMI records press office and handled the Beatles. He has since gone on his own and represents many famous people in the world. Such as Mohammed Ali,, Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brandon, Bee Gees and other rock groups and famous people.
{26}

CLIGNET Marion, 1962-present, (epilepsy),
Cyclist, 1996 Olympic silver medal winner. The road to an Olympic medal began when she lost her US Driver’s License her first known seizure while she was driving a car.
{27}

CLINTON William Jefferson, 1946-present, (hearing impairment),
42nd President of the United States wears hearing aids.
{85}

CLOONEY Rosemary, 1928-present, (bipolar),
American actress, singer. Had million-selling single Come On in My House 1951.
{4}

COELHO Tony, 1942-present, (epilepsy),
Member of Congress in 1990. He was one of the driving forces behind the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Chairman of the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. President Clinton appointed him as Vice-Chair of the National Task Force on Employment of People with Disabilities.
{26}

CONDON Richard, 1915-1996, (speech impairment),
American author who wrote The Manchurian Candidate 1959, Prizzi's Honor 1982.
{4}

COPPOLA Francis Ford, 1939-present, (physical impairment),
American motion picture director, producer, and writer. His best known work are the three Godfather movies and Apocalypse Now.
{85}

CORNFORTH John Warcup, 1917-present, (hearing impairment),
He was a distinguished scientist and joint Nobel Prize winner for chemistry (1975) was profoundly deaf from otosclerosis for most of his life. He received his bachelor of science degree in 1937 and his Master's in 1938. His first research in Australia was on natural produces from plants, while employed at Mill Hill Research Laboratories 1946 to 1962 he developed his basic approach to stereochemistry of enzyme processes. Stereochemistry deals with three dimensional architect of molecules an it is in biochemistry applications where he made his most significant contributions. In 1965 he was jointly awarded the CIBA Medal of the Biochemistry Society. In 1968 he received the Davy Medal of the Royal Society. He held two professorships, associate professor of molecular science at Warwick (1965-1971), and visiting professor of chemistry at Sussex (1971-1975). He received many honors and awards in addition to the Nobel Prize. He communicated by lip reading and writing , and he did not practice sign language.
{43}

CORNWELL Patricia, 1956-present, (bipolar),
American novelist, wrote award winning novel Postmortem 1990, best sellers Body of Evidence 1991, Cause of Death 1996.
{4}

CRONYN Hume, 1911-present, (visual impairment),
Actor who won a Tony Award in 1964 for Hamlet, best known for The Gin Game 1978 with his wife Jessica Tandy. Cocoon 1985 and Batteries Not Included 1987. In 1994 Cronyn and Tandy won the first Tony Award for lifetime theatrical achievement. He is blind in one eye.
{4,20}

CRUISE Tom [Thomas Cruise Mapother IV], 1962-present, (learning disability)
Actor. Born in Syracuse NEW YORK. His mother taught children who had dyslexia and other learning disabilities. She herself had dyslexia as did all her children. At age 11 his parents divorced and he and his sisters and mother lived in poverty in Kentucky. When he was 16 his mother remarried and his family moved to Glen Ridge NJ. He auditioned for a role in his school play and got it. Once he broke into movies other roles followed in quick succession. He was nominated for an Academy Award in 1996.
{43}

DANTE [Dante Alighieri], 1265-1321, (epilepsy),
Italian author was one of the greatest poets of the middle ages. His epic poem The Divine Comedy ranks among the finest works in world literature. He was considered a great thinker and one of the most learned writers.
{4,27,85}

DAVIES Marion, 1897-1061, (speech impairment),
Early 20th century American silent movie actress who successfully made the transition to talkies despite her stuttering. Long-time companion of publisher William Randolph Hearst.

DAVIES Ray, 1944-present, (bipolar),
English singer. Lead guitarist for band formed with his brother Dave 1963 The Kinks.
{4}

DA VINCI Leonardo, 1452-1519, (dyslexia) (epilepsy),
One of the greatest painters and most versatile geniuses in history. He was one of the key figures of the Renaissance era. He was trained as a painter but he had other interests that he dealt with over the years. Many of his inventions and scientific ideas were centuries ahead of his time.
{85}

DAVIS Sammy Jr., 1925-1990, (visual impairment),
American actor, singer and dancer, versatile entertainer for 60 years. His career spanned vaudeville, stage, movies, recording, night clubs, and television. His last movie role was in Tap 1989. He was blind in one eye.
{4}

DICKENS Charles, 1812-1870, (mental disorder) (epilepsy),
British author who suffered from clinical depression. Also known for writing A Christmas Carol which depicted a disabled child Tiny Tim.
{35,39,56}

DIDYMUS The Blind,313 398, (visual impairment),
Celebrated head of the catechetical school at Alexandria. Although he was a lyaman and had become blind at the age of 4 he memorized great sections of the scriptures and by means of secretaries dictated numerous exegetical works. He also distinguished himself in the school of Alexandria which he later headed by his proficiency in geometry and astronomy.
{84,85}

DISNEY Walt, 1901-1966, (learning disability),
American cartoonist, producer. Introduced Mickey Mouse in Steamboat Willie 1928. Won 29 Oscars, Opened Disneyland 1955, creating family entertainment empire.
{4}

DOLE Robert, 1923-present, (physical impairment),
World War II exploding shell fractured his spine, shattered his right shoulder. He returned home, went back to college and earned a law degree. He launched his political career in 1960 and was elected to the United State Senate in 1968. He later left the Senate to run for president of the United States.
{43}

DONIZETTI Gaetano, 1797-1848, (mental disorder),
Opera singer suffered from bipolar depression..
{73}

DOSTOYEVSKI Fyodor, 1821-1881, (epilepsy),
Russian author. Had three convulsive seizures as a child and complex partial seizures in adolescence. His seizures began with a feeling of ecstasy, followed by anguish, then convulsions. His characters had epilepsy in some of his writing. Wrote novels which were published after his death Crime and Punishment 1886, The Idiot 1887, Brothers Karamazov 1912.
{4,12,27}

DRISCOLL Jean, 1966-present, (spina bifida),
Born in Wisconsin and attended a regular school. She could walk with braces but later required a wheelchair. After high school Jean entered her first road race using a makeshift wheelchair. After 5 miles and exhausted she quit. Soon afterwards she got a sponsor and a new wheelchair. Graduated from University of Illinois - BA in Speech Communication. She entered a wheelchair marathon in 1989 and won a place in the Boston Marathon. First person to win Boston Marathon six consecutive times. Won silver medal in 1992 Olympic games in Barcelona Spain.
{43}

DUBUS Andre, 1936-1999, (mental disorder),
Wrote several books (short stories). 1996 - Rea Award for short fiction 1997 - finalist for the National Book Circle Award - Dancing After Hours. Due to an accident he lost a leg in 1986.
{14}

DUKE ASTIN Patty, 1946-present, (BIPOLAR),
Academy Award winning actress who has bipolar depression. Author of Call me Anna:
A Brilliant Madness.
{43}

DUNCAN Sandy, 1946-present, (visual impairment),
Has one glass eye. Starred on Broadway as Peter Pan 1980. Starred on television show The Hogan Family 1986-1990.
{14,16,20,32}

DURBIN Deanna, 1921-present, (physical impairment),
Comedian actor who shared a special Oscar with Mickey Rooney 1938, teenage star 1930's - 40's. She has a shortened arm.
{4}

EAST John, 1931-1986, (physical impairment),
U.S. Senator from North Carolina (Republican). Had polio and served from 1981 until his death in 1986.
{76}

EDISON Thomas, 1847-1931, (hearing impairment),
Prolific inventor who holds the record for obtaining the most U.S. patents. Inventor of the electric light bulb, phonograph, and the motion-picture projector. Due to scarlet fever Thomas Edison permanently damaged his hearing in both ears. He was known as the wizard of Menlo Park.
{43}

EINSTEIN Albert, 1879-1955, (learning disability),
Was one of the greatest scientists of all time. Best known for his theory of relativity.
{85}

EISENHOWER Dwight D., 1890-1969, (learning disability),
34th President of the United States. Leader of the victorious Allied forces in Europe during World War II.
{85}

EISENREICH Jim, 1959-present, (tourette syndrome),
Played baseball for the Minnesota Twins, later the Los Angeles Dodgers as well as the Philadelphia Phillies and more recently for the Florida Marlins.
{37}

ERSKINE Carl, 1926-present, (autism),
American baseball player, pitcher for the Dodgers 1948-59. Threw two no-hitters 1942 and 1956.
{4}

EULER Leonhard, 1707-1783, (visual impairment),
Swiss mathematician. He became famous for his great output of original mathematics and for the wide range of subjects he covered. He did most of this work after he lost his sight in one eye in 1735 and totally blind in 1766. Contributed new ideas in calculus, geometry, algebra, number theory and probability.
{84,85}