Sljepoća je potpuno odsustvo opažaja forme i svjetla. Većina vjeruje da vidimo očima. Činjenica je, međutim, da je naš mozak taj koji „opaža“ ono što mislimo da vidimo.
Ovi slavni slijepi ljudi su promijenili i oblikovali svijet u mnogim oblastima poput muzike, politike, nauke, umjetnosti, sporta jer nijesu dopustili da im nedostatak opažaja spoljašnje svjetlosti ugasi, ili priguši njihovo unutrašnje svjetlo. Svojom hrabrošću i talentom oni su obasjali svijet.
Blindness is the complete lack of form and light perception. Most people believe that we see with our eyes. The fact is, however, that it is our brain that “perceives” what we think we see.
These famous blind people have changed and shaped the world in many areas such as music, politics, science, art and sport because they refused to allow their lack of external light perception to quench or stifle their inner light. The world has been illuminated by their courage and talent.
Helen Keller. Američka autorka, aktivistkinja i predavač, prva gluvo-slijepa osoba koja je završila koledž. Bila je neumoran borac za prava osoba sa invaliditetom, a zalagala se i za ostvarenje mnogih drugih ciljeva.
Helen Keller was an American author, activist and lecturer who was the first deaf/blind person to graduate from college. She was a tireless advocate for people with disabilities and numerous other causes.
Stevie Wonder. Američki pjevač, kantautor, muzički producent i multiinstrumentalist. Nijedna lista slavnih ličnosti, kad je riječ o slijepim ljudima, ne bi bila potpuna bez imena ovog kompozitora. Stevie Wonder je napisao i takve hitove poput čuvene pjesme „Ebony and Ivory“, koja predstavlja doprinos nenasilnoj borbi za građanska prava.
Stevie Wonder is an American singer-songwriter-record producer and multi-instrumentalist. A list of famous blind people wouldn't be complete without this composer's name. Wonder penned such hits as "Ebony and Ivory" that aided the civil rights cause in a non-violent way.
Ray Charles. Američki pijanista i muzičar, čiji je napukli i emotivni glas oblikovao zvuk ritma i bluza.
Ray Charles was an American pianist and musician whose gritty and soulful voice shaped the sound of rhythm and blues.
Claude Monet. Bio je osnivač francuskog impresionizma u slikarstvu. Do godine 1907. on je već bio poznat umjetnik, ali tada su nastali ozbiljni problemi sa njegovim očima, usljed čega je počeo da gubi vid. Iako mu se vid stalno pogoršavao, on nikad nije prestao da slika. Pred kraj života, kad je već bio skoro sasvim slijep, naslikao je jedan od najčuvenijih murala – „Lokvanje“.
Claude Monet was a founder of French impressionist painting. By 1907, he had become quite famous, but began having serious problems with his eyesight and started to go blind. Even though his eyes continued to get worse, he never stopped painting. At the end of his life, when he was almost completely blind, he painted one of his most famous murals of water lilies.
Andrea Bocelli. Izgubio je vid kad mu je bilo dvanaest godina, poslije jednog nesrećnog slučaja na fudbalskoj utakmici. Svira više instrumenata, a pjevao je i sa takvim veličinama operske umjetnosti kao što je Pavaroti.
Andrea Bocelli became blind at the age of 12 years old following a football accident. He was a multi-instrumentalist and has sung with other great operatic singers such as Pavarotti.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Bio je trideset drugi po redu predsjednik Sjedinjenih Američkih Država. On je imao nekoliko hendikepa, uključujući i oštećenje vida. Bio je jedan od najomiljenijih predsjednika u istoriji.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the 32nd President of the United States of America. Roosevelt had several disabilities including vision impairment. He was one of the most popular presidents in history.
Thomas Gore. Bio je demokratski političar. Oslijepio je u djetinjstvu, ali nikad nije prestao da sanja o tome da postane senator. Godine 1907. on je bio jedan od dvojice prvih senatora tada nove države Oklahoma. Biran je još dva puta. Bio je poznat kao pripadnik progresivnog krila Demokratske stranke.
Thomas Gore a Democratic politician. He became blind as a child, but never gave up his dream of becoming a senator. In 1907, he was one of the first two senators from the new state of Oklahoma. He was re-elected twice more. He was famous as a member of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.
Harriet Tubman. Tokom svoje mladosti bila je pripadnica robova; izbjegla je u Kanadu, ali se vratila u Ameriku, gdje je stotinama robova pomogla da se dokopaju slobode u akciji poznatoj pod nazivom Podzemna pruga. Nakon jedne teže povrede glave vid joj je počeo ozbiljno da slabi, a dobila je i epileptične napade.To je, međutim, nije omelo u njenim nastojanjima da nastavi borbu za slobodu svog naroda.
Harriet Tubman was a slave throughout her youth who escaped to Canada but returned to the U.S. where she helped bring hundreds of black slaves to safety in what was called the Underground Railroad. She received a cruel head wound which led to severe vision impairment and seizures. This did not stop her from fighting for the freedom of her people.
Louis Braille. Igrajući se u očevoj radionici nožem se povrijedio u oko i od te povrede kasnije oslijepio. On je izumio i osmislio Brajevo pismo za slijepe, što je, u stvari, niz ispupčenih tačaka poređanih po određenom sistemu.
Louis Braille accidentally stabbed himself in the eye, becoming blind from this injury. He was the inventor and designer of Braille writing which enables blind people to read from a series of organized bumps.
Marla Runyan. Je maratonka koja se zvanično vodi kao slijepa. Ona je trostruka nacionalna šampionka u trci na pet hiljada metara za žene. Runjan je prvi zvanično slijepi atletičar koji se takmičio na olimpijskim igrama. Ona je na Olimpijadi u Sidneju 2000. godine, u trci na 1500 metara, zauzela osmo mjesto, što je bio najviši plasman jedne Amerikanke na tom takmičenju. Na njujorškom gradskom maratonu 2002. godine ona je bila najbolje plasirana Amerikanka i postavila je drugo najbrže debitantsko vrijeme u Americi.
> Marla Runyan is a marathon runner who is legally blind. She is the three-time national champion in the women's 5.000 meter run. Runyan was the first legally blind athlete to compete in the Olympics Games. She placed eighth in the 1,500-meter in the 2000 Sydney Olympics making it the highest finish by an American woman in that event. In 2002 she finished as the top American at the 2002 New York City Marathon to post the second-fastest debut time ever by an American woman.