Famous Peeps Like Me

Hey everyone, I know one of the problems I said I had growing up with dyslexia was I felt like an outsider, and like I was alone. But I remember growing up my mom would show me all these famous people with dyslexia and explain to me that dyslexia is NOT something that stops you from making it big in this world. So today I am going to list a few of these very successful people who have made it far in life with a "learning disability" and some quotes they have said about dyslexia. 

SIDE NOTE: If you want to see more you can go to the website where I found these. It is: https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/personal-stories/famous-people/celebrity-quotes-learning-from-challenges#slide-1 

Anyways, one of the people I came across that I feel said something that stood out to me was Henry Winkler, he is an actor, director, and author. You might recognize him from Happy Days as the Fonz, Click, Holes or A Christmas Carol, but as you can see he is a very successful man and dyslexia did not stop him from making it big in this world. When he spoke out about dyslexia he said, “Somebody asked me if I could go back and start again with a different brain, would I. Years ago I thought yes, I would, and now I know I wouldn’t. Because whatever challenges I had in school, I guess they forced me to where I am today. So I now see them as an asset.” 

Now I have to agree with him, if I was asked in middle school, or maybe even high school if I was given the opportunity to start all over with a new brain I would have said yes with no hesitation, but now with everything I have learned and with how far I have come (I mean come on I got into my REACH school and still attend it today!) I wouldn't change who I am and my dyslexia for anything. 

Another famous person who has dyslexia is someone by the name of Whoopi Goldberg, I have a feeling everyone knows who she is but if not, she is an award-winning actress and comedian who is well known for being on The View and in the movie Sister Act. When asked about dyslexia she states, “They thought I was lazy so they put me in the slow class. But my mom was a Head Start teacher, and she told me, ‘You’re not slow, you’re just different.’” 

Whoopi's mom is absolutely correct. Dyslexia is not a learning disability that categorizes someone as being "slow," dyslexia is a learning disability that makes someone different in a way of how we have to learn. We are more visual learners and there is nothing wrong with that. 

Two others that are very successful human being who have been diagnosed with dyslexia are Albert Einstein and Tom Cruz. I think you can say Albert Einstein was KINDA smart! 

I know that these are only some famous people that I have shared with you, but as you can see, dyslexia is NOT by anyway something to use as an excuse to stop yourself from doing anything. If dyslexia has taught me one thing, it is that I am not only unique but I am also very capable of keeping up with everyone else around me and following and exceeding my dreams! So for that I say thank you to dyslexia for making me the women I am today! And that is Aly's eye view!