Disabled but brilliant

Hi! Here are some famous people who, despite being physically disabled, shine (or shone) in their respective disciplines.
Add yours to the list

Ludwig Van Beethoven

Ludwig Van Beethoven was born in Bonn, on the 16th of December, 1770. He started to lose his ability to hear when he was 27, and by the time he was 45, he was completely deaf. He composed beautiful classical music and played the piano. To listen to his music, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2N5iyQuFWI

Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder is an american musician, composer and record producer. He is blind since he was a child. He became famous in the 70s, as a part of the record company Motown. Here's one of his most famous songs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwOU3bnuU0k

 

Stephen Hawking

Born in Oxford, on the 8th of January, 1942, Stephen Hawking is a british theoretical physicist and cosmologist, who has investigated, among many other things, the origin of the universe. He has an extremely high IQ. He has amyotrophyc lateral sclerosis, and he has battled against this disease since he was diagnosed, when he was 21, and the doctors told him that he wouldn't live more than two or three years more.

 

Ray Charles

Ray Charles was an american singer and pianist. He lost his eyesight when he was 7 years old. He studied music during his childhood, and when his parents died, he had to earn a living by playing music. Then, he went on to be one of the most famous musicians in the history of jazz. You can listen to him here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMSQBfNVh0o&feature=related

 

Jorge Luis Borges

No, he's not a famous singer. He's one of the greatest argentinian writers (or maybe the greatest - no offense intended to the great Julio Cortazar's fans) of all times. Blind since he was 55, he wrote tales, essays and poems. Here's one of his poems, taken from the site http://www-ccs.cs.umass.edu/cris/texts/two-english-poems.html

Two English Poems

                          I
   
   The useless dawn finds me in a deserted street-
      corner; I have outlived the night.
   Nights are proud waves; darkblue topheavy waves
      laden with all the hues of deep spoil, laden with
      things unlikely and desirable.
   Nights have a habit of mysterious gifts and refusals,
      of things half given away, half withheld,
      of joys with a dark hemisphere. Nights act
      that way, I tell you.
   The surge, that night, left me the customary shreds
      and odd ends: some hated friends to chat
      with, music for dreams, and the smoking of
      bitter ashes.  The things my hungry heart
      has no use for.
   The big wave brought you.
   Words, any words, your laughter; and you so lazily
      and incessantly beautiful.  We talked and you
      have forgotten the words.
   The shattering dawn finds me in a deserted street
      of my city.
   Your profile turned away, the sounds that go to
      make your name, the lilt of your laughter:
      these are the illustrious toys you have left me.
   I turn them over in the dawn, I lose them, I find
      them; I tell them to the few stray dogs and
      to the few stray stars of the dawn.
   Your dark rich life ... 
   I must get at you, somehow; I put away those 
      illustrious toys you have left me, I want your
      hidden look, your real smile -- that lonely,
      mocking smile your cool mirror knows.