Arizona U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is winning more than Charlie Sheen.
Four months after getting shot in the head on Jan. 8 outside a Safeway grocery store in Casas Adobes, Arizona, while attending the “Congress on Your Corner” rally, comes word that Giffords’ health has markedly improved. Giffords will be able to fly to Florida on Friday to watch her astronaut husband, Mark Kelly, rocket into space as commander of the shuttle, Endeavour. Her doctors say that she is “medically able” to attend the launch.
This is an incredible triumph to say the least and Giffords’ remarkable return goes to show that a person’s will can never be questioned. Giffords joins the list of courageous individuals who, throughout the most difficult of times, manage to triumph in the face of adversity.
These are people who fought for what they believed in no matter what and did their part to help make the world a better place in whatever way possible.
From Muhammad Ali to Nelson Mandela, Giffords is in great company. Go to the next page to see more people who turned their tragedies and tribulations into triumph.
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The G.O.A.T.:
In 1967, Muhammad Ali was stripped of his heavyweight titles after refusing induction into the U.S. Army during the United States, Vietnam War conflict.
Ali was arrested and didn’t compete for three years. On his oppistion to the Vietnam war he said, “I ain’t got no quarrel with the Vietcong. No Vietcong ever called me Nigger.” In 1970, Ali was allowed to fight again, which eventually lead to him winning back his titles.
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The Rasta:
In December of 1976, Bob Marley was scheduled to perform at the “Smile Jamaica” concert organized by the Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley to ease tension between two warring political groups.
Two days before the concert Marley, his wife and manager Don Taylor were ambushed in an assault by gunmen inside Marley’s home. Taylor and Marley’s wife sustained serious injuries, but later made full recoveries. Marley was shot in his chest and arm. Marley returned to the stage to perform at the concert and when asked about the shooting Marley said, “The people who are trying to make this world worse aren’t taking a day off. How can I?”
The Maverick:
In 1967, John McCain was on a mission over North Vietnam when his A-4E Skyhawk was shot down by a missile over Hanoi. Captured by the Viet Cong, McCain was imprisoned for five and a half years. McCain was released on March 14, 1973. His war injuries left him permanently incapable of raising his arms above his head.
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The Fighter:
Liu Xiaobo is the face of human rights activism in China. His speeches and rhetoric became a threat to the Chinese government leading to his arrest, conviction and imprisonment.
On October 8, 2010, Liu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The Nobel commitee awarded Liu with the prize “for his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China.” Liu is still serving an 11 year sentence for spreading a message to subvert the country and authority.
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The Prisoner:
The leading voice of the South African anti-apartheid movement, Nelson Mandela was jailed on Robben Island where he remained for the next twenty-seven years.
Mandela was released from prison in 1990 and four years later South Africa’s first multi-racial elections were held. Mandela’s party, the African National Congress (ANC), won 62% of the votes and Mandela was inaugurated on May 10th, 1994 as the country’s first black President.
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Women Only:
An American icon, Susan B. Anthony dedicated her life to the progression of woman’s rights. Through Anthony’s struggle, the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920 became a turning point for the role of women in America and gave women the right to vote. One of Anthony’s messages that still resinate today is, “Failure is impossible.”
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The First:
Not only was Jackie Robinson a talented ball player, but what made him stand out among the rest was his character. When Robinson was called up from the Negro League, he was faced with the viciousness of racism. The chants, taunts and segregation at the time didn’t break his character and lead him to become an icon for the future of baseball.
