English actress, Emily Blunt, born February 23, 1983, has acted in a number of films, TV shows and radio appearances, including the 2...
American actor, Chris Burke, born August 26, 1965, is most
well known for his role as Corky on the TV show, Life Goes On. Born with Down
Syndrome, Burke is one of the most famous disabled people on television.
Burke has been in a number of other TV shows and movies, and
has won or been nominated for several acting awards.
In 1994, Burke became the Goodwill Ambassador with the
National Down Syndrome Society, and has been featured in the society's public
service announcements and has made many other public appearances.
American actor, Chris Burke, born August 26, 1965, is most well known for his role as Corky on the TV show, Life Goes On. Born with D...
Patty Duke is an actress. She has won three Emmy Awards for
made-for-television movies. In 1965, at the age of 17, Patty became the
youngest person to win an Academy Award in a regular category (Best Supporting
Actress) for her role as Helen Keller in the motion-picture version of The
Miracle Worker. At the age of 13, Patty starred as Helen Keller in William
Gibson's play The Miracle Worker.
As part of Patty's plan to win the Helen Keller role in the
play, Patty would practice at being a person with a visual impairment. She
would blindfold herself and practice eating, dressing, and moving around. Patty
also learned the manual sign language alphabet in preparation for her audition.
It was her determination and practice that won her the role as Helen Keller.
Although successful as an actress, Patty was a very unhappy
person. In 1982 Patty was finally diagnosed as having a manic-depressive
disorder. Manic depression is a disease caused by a chemical imbalance in the
brain. Patty continues to cope with this disability with medication. The medicine is not a cure but makes the
symptoms of manic depression easier to control. Patty is still an actress, but
also tours the country as a disability advocate, giving talks and answering
questions about manic depression and other mental illnesses.
Patty Duke is an actress. She has won three Emmy Awards for made-for-television movies. In 1965, at the age of 17, Patty became the you...
Peter is a foot painter. He creates all of his artwork using
just his feet, having no arms. Peter’s disability stemmed from the drug
thalidomide, which was prescribed for morning sickness until it was discovered
that it caused deformities fetuses. After living most of his life without arms,
Peter considers his right foot to be like the right hand of most people, using
it dexterously to open doors and perform many other everyday tasks.
Peter is a foot painter. He creates all of his artwork using just his feet, having no arms. Peter’s disability stemmed from the dru...
Wiltshire was born in 1974 in London to West Indian parents.
He is an autistic savant and world famous architectural artist. He learned to
speak at the age of nine, and at the age of ten began drawing detailed sketches
of London landmarks. While he has created many prodigious works of art, his
most recent was a eighteen foot wide panoramic landscape of the skyline of New
York City, after only viewing it once during a twenty minute helicopter ride.
Wiltshire was born in 1974 in London to West Indian parents. He is an autistic savant and world famous architectural artist. He lea...
"Dead on arrival". That was the diagnosis when Jim
MacLaren was rushed to Bellevue Hospital after being hit by a bus on his
motorcycle. When he woke from his coma, he was missing his left leg below the
knee. He’d previously been a Yale University lacrosse and football player, but
after the accident, life as he knew it was full of questions. Undetered by his
accident, he took up swimming and learned how to run on a prosthetic leg. He
eventually competed in the New York City Marathon and the Ironman triathlon.
Although he later suffered another accident that left him paralyzed, MacLaren
turned his tragedy into triumph by becoming a motivational speaker and life
coach encouraging others to live their life to the fullest no matter what it
takes.
"Dead on arrival". That was the diagnosis when Jim MacLaren was rushed to Bellevue Hospital after being hit by a bus on his m...