First and foremost, for anyone celebrating Easter, I hope you had a great Easter today!
Now I've still been thinking about something one of my readers posted about how Julius Caesar had epilepsy. Well I decided to do some research and this post will be about some more great people in history who had epilepsy. The list I have isn't including everyone I found some research on. Although, I think it's a good start for those of you who are having a hard time with being diagnosed or with coping with your diagnosis. I hope this helps some of you out there. Just as an inspiration that all of us can be great even if we are a little different.
All of the following information I have taken off: http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/epilepsy-famous.shtml
Hugo Weavin
Born April 4, 1960.
Actor, was diagnosed when he was 13 years old. Due to the prospect of seizures, Weaving does
not drive cars. He has never married and lives with his partner Katrina
Greenwood.
Vincent van Gogh
1853 - 1890.
Vincent Van Gogh an artist. "Being the loving and creative man that he was his epilepsy had
once caused him to run after his friends with an open razor, he ended
up cutting his own ear lobe off. He eventually shot himself
"For the good of all" leaving behind all the colorful paintings he had made" (www.disabled-world.com)
Sir Isaac Newton
4 January 1643 - 31 March 1727
A scientist responsible for founding the three laws of motion along with some studies of Universal Gravitation. "Was thought by many a product of psychosis but he may just
have been in his right mind." (www.disabled-world.com)
Neil Young
Born, November 12, 1945.
"A musician known for his
meaningful lyrics and also a spokesman for environmental issues, Neil
Young has been labeled one of the greatest guitarists of his time. When
he was young his parents divorced and Neil was confronted with many
diseases simultaneously. The obstacles in which he faced included
Epilepsy, Polio and Diabetes which he did eventually all overcome. Since
then he has been a peacekeeper through music and is ever present in the
fight for justice and all that has to do with a more peaceful world' (www.disabled-world.com)
Napoleon Bonaparte
15 August 1769-5 May 182
"An Italian General with many victories,
also later becoming 1st consul of France. He played a great role in many
wars and was a shining sword of honor for all of the French. Since his
youth Napoleon had always given all his efforts to rise in military
grades until he finally became emperor seated on his imperial throne.
Many books today claim that Napoleon Bonaparte might have suffered from
epilepsy throughout his lifetime. Although many have stood up to say
that there is no valid proof and that it is but a myth"(www.disabled-world.com)
Agatha Christie
- Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa, Lady Mallowan, DBE
15 September 1890 - 12
January 1976 "commonly known as Agatha Christie, was an English crime
fiction writer. She also wrote romance novels under the name Mary
Westmacott, but is best remembered for her 80 detective novels and her
successful West End theatre plays. Agatha Christie is world famous for
her brilliantly crafted mysteries. During the 1920s and 1930s, she
created the enduring detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. The
details of Christie's personal life, however, have rarely been
documented" (www.disabled-world.com)
Charles Dickens
- Charles John Huffam Dickens, FRSA (17 February 1812 - 9 June 1870),
pen-name "Boz", was the foremost English novelist of the Victorian era,
as well as a vigorous social campaigner. The Victorian author of such
classic books as A Christmas Carol and Oliver Twist had epilepsy, as did
several of the characters in his books. The medical accuracy of
Dickens's descriptions of epilepsy has amazed the doctors who read him
today. Through some characters in his novels, Charles Dickens recorded
observations on the nature of epileptic seizures, their causes and
provocation, and their consequences. Three of his main characters,
Monks, Guster, and Bradley Headstone, had seizures which Dickens
realistically described.
Alexander the Great
- Alexander the Great (July 20, 356 BC - June 10, 323 BC), also known
as Alexander III, was an ancient Greek king (basileus) of Macedon
(336-323 BC). Alexander died after twelve years of constant military
campaigning, possibly as a result of malaria, poisoning, typhoid fever,
viral encephalitis or the consequences of alcoholism. Born in Pella,
capital of Macedon, Alexander was the son of King Philip II of Macedon
and of his fourth wife Olympias, an Epirote princess. Alexander the
Great had epilepsy, however at during his time epilepsy was known as
"the sacred disease" because of the belief that those who had seizures
were possessed by evil spirits or touched by the gods and should be
treated by invoking mystical powers.
Danny Glover
- (Born July 22, 1947) A great actor in both Lethal Weapon with Mel
Gibson and Predator 2. Danny Glover suffered dyslexia at school when he
was younger and the school staff would label him retarded. Danny Glover
also had epilepsy and at an appearance on the Rosie O'Donnell Show told
how he had developed epilepsy at the age of 15, and in one cross-country
trip with his family had experienced six seizures in a row.
Alfred Nobel
- Alfred Bernhard Nobel (October 21, 1833, Stockholm, Sweden - December
10, 1896, Sanremo, Italy) was a Swedish chemist, engineer, innovator,
armaments manufacturer and the inventor of dynamite. By the time of his
death he held more than 350 patents and controlled factories and
laboratories in 20 countries. William Gordon Lennox wrote that "Nobel
was subject to migraines and convulsions from infancy." Nobel had
epileptic seizures as a young child, which later made him write of
convulsions and agony in a poem. The foundations of the Nobel Prize were
laid in 1895 when Alfred Nobel wrote his last will, leaving much of his
wealth for its establishment. Since 1901, the prize has honored men and
women for outstanding achievements in physics, chemistry, medicine,
literature, and for work in peace.
Michelangelo
- (March 6, 1475 - February 18, 1564) The sculptor of many of the most
renowned sculptures of all times. Michaelangelo was a respected
renaissance man only rivaled by Leonardo Da Vinci. Striving to excel in
numerous disciplines he is also responsible for the paintings inside
many famous cathedrals and the construction of some of the most
respected buildings. Projects such as St.Peters basilica, basilica of
San Lorenzo and the Medici Chapel which will forever leave Michaelangelo
and his works a legend in all history.
Leonardo Da Vinci
- (April 15, 1452 - May 2, 1519) The man responsible for some of the
greatest religious paintings in history Leonardo Da Vinci excelled not
only in painting but in numerous other disciplines as well. He was a
Tuscan polymath: architect, botanist, musician, scientist,
mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, painter, sculptor, and
writer. His most famous work is definetely the paintings of both Mona
Lisa and the Last Supper of Jesus Christ which have both been the most
reproduced religious paintings of all times.
Julius Caesar
- (July 13, 100 BC - March 15, 44 BC), One of the most influential men
in world history, Caesar participated in the army with distinction
constantly excelling in leadership skills. He had a ruthless personality
and thought of himself as far superior. A perfect example of this is
when Julius had gotten captured by pirates, the pirates demanded a
ransom of twenty talents of gold. Julius then laughed and demanded that
they ask for fifty, he then promised them that he would chase them down
once freed. Which he did, raising a fleet to chase the pirates and
capture them. He then crucified them under his law once he had caught up
to them.
Edgar Allen Poe
- (January 19, 1809 - October 7, 1849) Edgar Allen Poe is a member of
the Romantic Movement, mostly as an author and literacy critic. He has
written books and short stories and he is best known for his macabre and
mysteries, he is the one who invented the Detective-Fiction genre. For
many years people have referred his mental problems to alcohol and drug
abuse but, today many believe that he was not well diagnosed. Many now
believe he may have been epileptic which would sometimes explain his
frequent confusion.
Aristotle - (384
BC - 322 BC) Aristotle was a Greek philosopher writing on many
different subjects including zoology, biology, ethics, government,
politics, physics, metaphysics, music, poetry and theater. He was also a
great teacher for Alexander the Great. Aristotle was one of the first
to point out that epilepsy and genius were often closely connected. He
found that the seizure disorders may have the ability to increase brain
activity in specific places and maybe also enhance a persons natural
abilities to a certain extent.
Theodore Roosevelt
- 26th President of the U.S. (October 27, 1858 - January 6, 1919)
Roosevelt was a soldier , historian, explorer, naturalist, author, and
Governor of New York later becoming the President of the United States
at the age of 42 years old. He was well known for having a vast range of
objectives and achievements, all with an energetic determination and a
hard ''cowboy'' persona. He was subject to epileptic seizures, his
eyesight was bad, and he also suffered from asthma, but was still a man
of courage and strength appreciated by many.
Alfred the Great - (c.
849 - 26 October 899) Alfred the Great was king of the Anglo-Saxon
kingdom of Wessex from 871 to 899. In his life Alfred highly valued
education and wanted his kingdom to be rich with knowledge. He improved
his Kingdom's law as well as it's military structure. Although Alfred
had epilepsy it did not keep him from doing good for his kingdom and
making one of the best books of laws of his time. He was very catholic
and by the time of his death he had helped increase the quality and
amount of churches and schools from all over his lands.
Bud Abbott - (October
2, 1895 - April 24, 1974) Bud Abott was an American producer, comedian
and actor. Many times did he try to hide the fact that he was suffering
from epilepsy. His whole life he had been subject to the disease and
many times he tried to control it with alcohol. His alcoholism was
getting worst as time went by and he eventually went bankrupt due to tax
issues with the IRS. Short after going bankrupt Bud lost his longtime
partner Lou Costello when he died from heart damage. Bud then tried to
take another shot at his career with Candy Candido but was not
successful. Bud Abott died of cancer on April 24, 1974 after suffering
from two consecutive strokes.
Lewis Carrol - (27
January 1832 - 14 January 1898) was an English author, photographer,
mathematician, Anglican clergyman and logician. He has written several
renowned books and his work has inspired many modern artists. His
facility in wordplay would attract not only children but also some of
the elite readers. He has written books describing minor epilepsy
attacks and the dream worlds that some of them may bring a person to.
Like the sensation of falling in a hole and everything around getting
smaller or bigger. Not hearing or seeing the same and feeling as if your
entire body is changing in a fraction of a second.
Richard Burton -
(November 10, 1925 - August 5, 1984) Being at one time the highest paid
Hollywood actor, Richard was well known for his distinctive voice. He
was crippled all his life by epilepsy and was extremely deep into
alcoholism to try and prevent the seizures. Eventually this led him to
manic depression but he would never go to see a doctor because he did
not trust them one bit. At times he seemed to be more scared of being
crazy then having epilepsy. Throughout his entire life he had never went
to get diagnosed by a doctor.
George Frederick Handel - (Friday
23 February 1685 - Saturday 14 April 1759) was a German-born Baroque
composer who is famous for his operas, oratorios and concerti grossi.
Since the 1960s, with the revival of interest in baroque music, original
instrument playing styles, and the prevalence of countertenors who
could more accurately replicate castrato roles, interest has revived in
Handel's Italian operas, and many have been recorded and performed
onstage.
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