Alex Zanardi
After several years competing in F1, Alex Zanardi suffered an accident in 2001 in which both legs were amputated. He then decided to focus his sporting efforts on adapted cycling and earned three Paralympic golds.
Aaron Fotheringham
In addition to being one of the most inspirational disabled celebrities, Aaron famous for people with disabilities. Fotheringham is also one of the most famous skaters in the world. His specialty? Wheelchair skating.
J.K. Rowling
J.K. Rowling had just gotten a divorce, was on government aid, and could barely afford to feed her baby in 1994, just three years before her first Harry Potter book was published.
Stephen King
Stephen King received so many rejection letters for his works. He says "By the time I was 14, the nail in my wall would no longer support the weight of the rejection slips impaled upon it".
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley, The King of Rock and Roll, was told to stick to driving a truck because, he was told, "you will never make it as a singer".
Shakira
While in school, Shakira's music teacher thought she sounded "like a goat", and rejected her from the school choir.
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey was raised amidst startling poverty and was sexually abused continually since she was 9. She ran away from home when she was 13 and, at 14, gave birth to a son who died soon after.
The Beatles
Decca Records rejected The Beatles on the ground that "guitar groups are on the way out" when auditioned for them in 1962, and claiming, quite wrongly, that "The Beatles have no future in show business."
Andes Survivors
Nando Parrado survived an airplane crash and 72 days in the Mount Andes with some other survivors.
