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Top 10 Famous People with Asperger’s

Asperger’s syndrome is a pervasive developmental disorder characterized by social impairments and repetitive behaviors, combined with relatively preserved cognitive and verbal activities. Usually, people with the syndrome are considered to be high-functioning, and often have intelligence peculiarities, however, they struggle with social interactions.  Interestingly, the name Asperger is attributed to a Viennese child psychiatrist Johann Friedrich Karl Asperger who immensely studied the capacity of some children to form a group and the lack of ability in others. Advanced studies have led to the consideration of Asperger鈥檚 syndrome as part of the autism spectrum and are no longer diagnosed separately.  Legendary personalities have considerably chosen a challenging public life with dignity by openly acknowledging how they have battled this syndrome. In as much as the personal struggles of autistic people are indisputable, they have defied all odds and turned the spotlight on themselves. Their never-say-die-attitude has made them soar to greater heights, inspiring masses globally. Let鈥檚 delve into some of these astonishing personalities and their contribution to society.

Elon Musk

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The Pretoria-born American businessman and entrepreneur is an excellent example of defying all odds. Just at the mere age of 19, he founded X.com which later became PayPal and the hyped Tesla Motors in 2003. In his late 20s, he became a multimillionaire after selling his start-up company, Zip2, and launched the first commercial rocket into International Space Station through his company SpaceX. In 2021, he surpassed Jeff Bezos becoming the world鈥檚 wealthiest man. His name once again hit the headlines after Musk confirmed ownership of the American social media company Twitter, Inc. Arguably one would say that success is Musk鈥檚 forte. He widely revealed his Asperger鈥檚 condition while appearing on the US comedy sketch series Saturday Night Live in May 2021 to the awe of many. He even joked about not being a 鈥榥ormal chilled鈥� man after he was criticized for his supposedly strange sentiments on social media.  

 Greta Thunberg

Greta Thunberg spricht beim Klimastreik vor dem Reichstag. Image by Stefan M眉ller (climate stuff, 1 Mio views)-

The 19-year-old who sailed across the Atlantic instead of flying to advocate for climate change is a perfect example of non-existent limitations in one鈥檚 inabilities. Born in Stockholm, Sweden on 3 Jan 2003, Greta has challenged world leaders on the need to take prompt action on environmental conservation. She gained fame at age 15 when she spent time outside the Swedish parliament every Friday calling for action against climate deterioration.  She once mentioned that the syndrome fuels her quest and that it makes her approach issues differently. Why not see things differently when you are indeed different? She was diagnosed with Asperger鈥檚 syndrome at the mere age of 11 as well as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and selective mutism. Her condition does not put out the fire in her, in any case, it fuels her further to the extent she dismisses critics who have incessantly tried to hone in on her diagnosis.

Dan Aykroyd

Dan Aykrod. Image by Rnunezart-

The Canadian actor, comedian, producer, musician, and writer was born in Ontario in the year 1952. He is well known for Saturday Night Live where he was a cast member and creator of the Real Ghostbusters (1986). Growing up, Aykroyd was expelled from school twice for acting up and upon diagnosis, a psychiatrist confirmed that he had mild Asperger鈥檚 syndrome. His parents enrolled him in acting classes to calm their hyperactive son, little did they know that they were answering a calling that saw Aykroyd become a seasoned actor with a wide range of skills and interests. He has been honest about his condition ever since and is a beacon of hope reassuring anyone suffering from the syndrome that despite the difficulties that come with having the condition, it does not stop one from achieving and even becoming one of the greatest minds.

Daniel Tammet

Born in East London, author, and savant, Daniel Tammet displayed signs of autism in his infancy stage, however, he was faced with another enormous struggle of epilepsy when he was 4 years old. Later, he developed exceptional cognitive traits including synesthesia which enabled him to conjure up sensory and emotional associations when he read numbers basically, he sees numbers as colors, shapes, textures, or motions. Although he still struggles to interpret non-verbal domains, Tammet has excelled in numerical and linguistic fields. He has endured challenges posed by Asperger鈥檚 syndrome and has openly discussed how acknowledging the reality of dealing with his syndrome has greatly influenced the growth of his immense abilities. He has written a 240 paged memoir dubbed Born on a Blue Day to highlight his struggles and how he dealt with them.

Temple Grandin

Temple Grandin. Image by Peabody Awards-

Dr. Grandin is a prominent professor of Animal Science at Colorado University and an author and speaker on autism as well animal behavior. While still an infant, she had a problem with her speech and could not speak until she was three and a half years. Her parents consulted a speech therapist with the hopes of improving her speech before being taken to kindergarten at the age of five. Her peers considered her weird and she was always picked out at school. She resorted to practical sessions and developed a keen interest in science and horses. In her speeches, she advocates for those diagnosed with the disorder to be viewed as 鈥渄ifferently-abled brains鈥� and that given the opportunity to nurture their skills, the uneven character and brilliance can exceed societal expectations.  Although she struggled with the disorder, her contribution to the United States is immeasurable.  Among her other known work, half the cattle in the United States are handled in facilities she designed.

Chris Packham

Chris Packham. Image by Garry Knight-Wikimedia

Packham is a naturalist, author, and television personality.  Growing up, he was socially excluded from his peers and was bullied regularly. He preferred spending time with a kestrel which whom he developed a strong bond until its death which plunged him to what he described as the lowest point in life. His unexplainable bond with animals led him to study zoology. He was diagnosed with Asperger鈥檚 syndrome in 2005 at the age of fifty-six, confirming his obsession with his two dogs and his personal contradicting views and sentiments. He is considered to have an encyclopedic knowledge of animals and Britain鈥檚 wildlife. He admits that he finds it easier to interact with animals than humans. He published a book in which he affirms that he is indeed autistic and that his precious poodles saved him from suicide when he was having a rough time and has difficulty imagining a life without them.

Susan Boyle

Susan Boyle is a famous Scottish singer who rose to fame after her stunning performance on Britain’s Got Talent (2009). She shared in an interview that she has been diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome and that her diagnosis gave her a huge relief as it gave her an in-depth understanding of herself. Boyle was the youngest in her family and struggled to learn. She was made to believe that her difficulty in grasping knowledge was a result of oxygen deprivation during her childbirth until 2013 when she learned that she had been misdiagnosed and instead has an autism spectrum with an IQ of above average. She has since excelled in her music career and as of 2021, she has millions of records. Her debut album, I Dreamed A Dream is one of the best-selling albums of the 21st century.

Daryl Hannah

Daryl Hannah. Image by World Travel & Tourism Council-

The Chicago-born American actress and environmentalist have privately fought autism for years.  As a child, she was shy and always felt isolated. She was horrible at forging friendships and doctors who attended to her suggested that she be institutionalized but her mother wouldn鈥檛 have any of that. Her mother had to take her out of school and gave her time to reintegrate into society. She shifted her focus to movies and resorted to acting. Hannah still found it difficult to integrate with people even after moving to Los Angeles. She incessantly refused to attend talk shows and even missed several of her movie premiers because she was constantly self-conscious and insecure. She taught herself to face her fears. In her career as an environmental activist, she has been jailed five times in seven years, a clear indicator that her condition cannot dictate her life.

Anthony Hopkins

Anthony Hopkins. Image by Elena Torre from Viareggio, Italia-

The Scottish actor, Sir Anthony Hopkins CBE, disclosed his diagnosis of Asperger鈥檚 syndrome to the public when he was in his 70s which is considered pretty much at a later stage in his life. This diagnosis made him an addition to the list of numerous people who have managed to live with this condition and have even excelled in various with their intelligence peculiarities. Just like other patients with Asperger鈥檚 syndrome, Hopkins was a loner and kept to himself. He had difficulties mingling with people and never attended parties. He however considered himself different and focused which is a kind of his superpower, attributing his concentration to the success of his projects. He insisted that he doesn鈥檛 believe that he has the condition and that he opposed people being labeled, although he credited his childhood insecurities and his yearning for isolation to the condition. He is a time-tested actor who has achieved a lot of accolades. He was knighted in the year 1993 by Queen Elizabeth II for his exemplary services to the arts and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contribution to the movie industry.

Christopher Duffley

Born in May 2001, at a premature age of 26 weeks with 1 lb 12 Oz which is a considerably low weight due to drug exposure, lack of eyesight, and Asperger鈥檚, Duffley has proved to be a phenomenal human being. The way he engages society with vibrance and the energy that he releases to the crowd is something that goes unnoticed. He has been described as a rare gift and crowds love him. He was diagnosed with autism at the age of 5 but that did not stop him from soaring. He could not speak, he only repeated conversations. However, he had a good pitch and he was assigned a music therapist which proved important in improving his speech. He acknowledges that disabilities are inconveniences but should not stop one from making the best out of their life. He encourages tapping one鈥檚 potential and seeing through your heart and not your eyes exemplifying that despite his lack of sight, he can still see and comprehend colors. He manifests to others through songs, stories, and laughter. He has his podcasts that are listened to by millions of people worldwide. His famous quote 鈥淚 want to show others that when you open your heart, you can see the world of possibilities around you.鈥� is an inspiration to anyone that feels limited or unworthy that they are not limited by their status, situation, or conditions.