Famous People Who Had or Have Paraplegia

Main summary

Paraplegia, from Ionic Greek (παραπληγίη) which means “half-hit”, is a paralysis that begins in the thoracic (T1-T12), lumbar (L1-L5) or sacral (S1-S5) area and mainly affects the legs (although sometimes it can affect the lower body and some arm skills). This usually occurs due to injuries to the nervous system, especially the spinal cord, but can also occur due to medical conditions and illnesses.

Paraplegia is usually the result of a spinal cord injury (SCI) or a congenital condition such as spina bifida that affects the neural elements of the spinal canal. If both arms are also affected by paralysis, the proper terminology is quadriplegia (caused by damage to the cervical area (C1-C8)). If only one limb is affected, the correct term is monoplegia.

People with paraplegia can vary in their level of disability, requiring treatments to vary from case to case. People with paraplegia have good functioning of their arms and hands. Rehabilitation aims to help the patient regain as much functionality and independence as possible.

Notable people with paraplegia or who had paraplegia

• Ajith CS Perera: Sri Lankan disability rights activist and former cricket umpire.
• Boris Kustodiev: Russian painter who became paraplegic due to tuberculosis of the spine.
• Charles Krauthammer: conservative columnist and commentator.
• Chuck Graham: American politician injured in a car accident at age 16.
• Colt Wynn: American bodybuilding champion.
• Craig Hart Neilsen – American gaming executive who founded Ameristar Casinos, Inc. and formed the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation to fund scientific research and quality of life programs for people living with spinal cord injuries.
• Daniel Dias – Brazilian Paralympic swimmer.
• Deng Pufang – Chinese politician, son of Deng Xiaoping
• Frank Gardner: Prominent BBC journalist who was paralyzed after being shot six times at close range by an Al-Qaeda gunman in Saudi Arabia.
• Franklin D. Roosevelt: Former president of the United States who, at the age of 39, was partially paralyzed by polio.
• George Corley Wallace: Governor of Alabama and former candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination.
• Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas; former attorney general of Texas.
• James Langevin, US congressman from Rhode Island who was accidentally shot at age 16.
• John Hockenberry: journalist and blogger.
• John Porter East: American politician who was partially paralyzed by polio in 1955.
• Liesl Tesch: Australian wheelchair basketball player.
• Linda Laubenstein: American doctor who became a paraplegic after a childhood polio infection.
• Paul Darke: British academic and disability rights activist born with spina bifida.
• Paul Johnson: American record producer and disc jockey who was accidentally shot.
• Peter Berry: American wheelchair basketball player for the Alabama Crimson Tide.
• Rick Hansen: Canadian Paralympic athlete who was paralyzed in a car accident at age 15.
• Sharry Konopski – Model and actress injured in a car accident.
• Tanni Grey-Thompson: Paralympic athlete born with spina bifida.
• Wolfgang Schäuble: German politician injured in an assassination attempt in 1990.
• Zhang Haidi: Chinese writer and translator, president of the Chinese Federation of Disabled People.

NOTE: If you are aware of any discrepancies in this list, please contact us so we can amend the entry.

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Cite this page (APA): Langtree, I.C. (April 12, 2024). Famous people who had or have paraplegia. Disabled world. Retrieved April 13, 2024 from www.disabled-world.com/disability/awareness/famous/paraplegics.php

Permanent link: Famous people who had or have paraplegia– A list of famous and notable people who have or have paraplegia. They had paraplegia during their life.

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