Disabled
Rihanna
79
At the age of 21, Rihanna’s life took a sharp left turn—literally—when a tragic accident left her paralyzed from the waist down. Now, most people would think that’s the part of the story where the violin music starts playing, but not Rihanna. Nope. She cranked up the volume, slapped life in the face, and decided to keep going full throttle—sometimes literally, since she drives her motorized wheelchair like she’s auditioning for Fast & Furious: Wheelchair Drift. The thing tops out at a terrifying 10 miles per hour, which doesn’t sound fast until you’ve seen her take a corner and accidentally (or not so accidentally) clip someone’s foot. Let’s just say she has a questionable driving record.
Instead of slowing down, Rihanna went bigger, bolder, and louder—especially after she attached an airhorn to her chair “just for giggles.” Forget politely saying “excuse me.” Rihanna prefers to blast people out of her way like she’s leading a parade. She even earned a silver medal in the Paralympics, proving that her competitive streak isn’t confined to terrorizing grocery store aisles.
Sure, she’s got a care aide who helps her with the stuff she can’t do solo, but Rihanna insists on being as independent as possible—whether it’s handling her own daily needs, pulling off hair-raising wheelchair stunts, or convincing strangers she should not be trusted with a learner’s permit. Life handed her wheels, and Rihanna turned them into a joyride.
