Robert Goddard fired the first liquid-propellant rocket in 1926. He was ridiculed when he said that rocket technology could be used to fly to the Moon. This earned him the nickname “Moony Goddard”.
Despite being diagnosed with ALS in his twenties, renowned physicist Stephen Hawking lived to the age of 76. Only five percent of those afflicted live past the five year life expectancy after diagnosis.
J.K. Rowling became the first person to become a billionaire by writing books. However, she also lost her billionaire status because she donated so much money to charity.