First Welfare Mother To Serve In Congress : Inspiring life changes. From welfare to Congress
The following celebrities have all transformed their lives in dramatic ways, some rising from poverty to stardom, others overcoming life challenges to achieve success. See if you can guess the identity of these stars.
The transformation: When her marriage ended, this California mother of three was forced to go on welfare to cover her mortgage and to pay for child care, which allowed her to keep working. She later used that experience to win election to the U.S. House of Representatives, united states house of representatives, where she has served her constituents for 20 years. She is Lynn Woolsey. Lynn Woolsey will not seek re-election in 2012
Inspiring life changes : Unlikely singing sensation
The transformation: At 48, this plain and unremarkable woman from Scotland became an international singing sensation after she appeared on the television program, “Britain’s Got Talent.” Though she placed second in the televised competition, the audience loved her. Her debut album was the most pre-ordered album of all time at Amazon.com. She is Susan Boyle. Susan Boyle I Dreamed A Dream musical opens March 23
Inspiring life changes : Boston bad boy
The transformation: The youngest of nine siblings from Boston’s rough-and-tumble Dorchester neighborhood, Boston's Dorchester neighborhood + crime rate, this now-famous film star was a drug addict at 13, charged with attempted murder at 16 and sent to prison for assault. After he was released, the high school dropout turned his life around to become a successful rapper/musician with the help of his older brother. He is Mark Wahlberg.
Inspiring life changes : Tech executive to washington state senator : Tech-savvy senator
The transformation: Elected to Congress in 1992, this former state legislator lost her first re-election bid in 1994 and took a job at Seattle-based RealNetworks, where she earned millions in stock options. Staging a political comeback in 2000, she won a narrow victory for a U.S. Senate seat in a recount, but the dot-com bust wiped out much of her fortune. She is Maria Cantwell.
Inspiring life changes : Online entrepreneur + 1999 TIME person of the year : Online entrepreneur
The transformation: This entrepreneur decided to strike out on his own in 1994. He drove from New York to Seattle, wrote the business plan for a new kind of Internet venture and founded a now hugely successful online company in his garage. His business made him a multi-billionaire and landed him on the cover of Time magazine as person of the year TIME's person of the year in 1999. He is Jeff Bezos.
Inspiring life changes : Prolific Maine novelist
The transformation: Unable to find work as a teacher after college school did he attend University of Maine, this author started his professional writing career while working in an industrial laundry and supplementing his income with occasional short-story sales to magazines. He became one of the most successful novelists in U.S. history but was nearly killed when he was struck by a car while walking along a road near his home in Maine. He is Stephen King. Stephen King + published 49 novels, Dark Towers movie
Inspiring life changes : Billionaire female media mogul : Media mogul
The transformation: Born into poverty Mississippi, United States and sexually molested as a young girl, this media icon was an unwed mother at 14 (her son was born premature and died in infancy). Determined to rise above her circumstances, she became a broadcast journalist and went on to become an entertainment phenomenon, multi-billionaire and world-class philanthropist whose face and name are known worldwide. She is Oprah Winfrey.
Inspiring life changes : Canadian stand-up to ace hollywood actor : Ace comic actor
The transformation: When he was in high school Canada, this actor and comedian lived with his family in a VW camper van and worked as a janitor at a nearby tire factory to help his parents make ends meet. He dropped out of school to pursue his passion for comedy and, soon after, moved to Los Angeles, eventually becoming one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood. He is Jim Carrey.
Inspiring life changes : Chronic gangsta rapper
The transformation: This influential rapper started out as a poor kid in a rough neighborhood Long Beach, California. Arrested several times for drug possession after high school, he did time in prison before getting involved in music and turning his life around. His first album hit No. 1 on Billboard’s hip-hop and Top 200 charts, and he continued to score with each new release. He is Snoop Dogg. Los Angeles Riderettes + Lady Arena Football League
Inspiring life changes : Alaska wild child turned hit singer : Alaskan wild child
The transformation: This genre-bending singer-songwriter grew up in a wilderness home Homer, Alaska without indoor plumbing. Determined to earn her living only with her music, she lived in her van and performed at taverns and street fairs, and was discovered in a San Diego coffee shop. She signed a contract with Atlantic Records and released her multi-platinum debut album when she was 21. She is jewel.
Inspiring life changes : Canadian teen pop sensation : Teen pop sensation
The transformation: This Canadian pop star, the son of a young single mother, grew up in a rodent-infested home with a near-empty fridge. At age 12, he placed second in a local talent contest, and his mother posted a video of the event on YouTube, causing a sensation. Signed to a record deal when he was 13, the young artist was soon releasing one chart-topping hit after another. He is Justine Bieber.
Inspiring life changes : Solo artist with 18 number 1 singles : Beautician turned singles hit maker
The transformation: This singer grew up in one of the poorest neighborhoods on Long Island. She moved to Manhattan to attend beauty school, shared a one-bedroom apartment with four roommates and held multiple part-time jobs to make ends meet. After handing her demo tape to a music executive at a party, she began a career distinguished by five Grammy Awards and 18 No. 1 singles, more than any other solo artist. She is Mariah Carey.
Inspiring life changes : Romper Room dropout turned actor : ‘Romper Room’ dropout
The transformation: This actor grew up poor in a rough section of Tinseltown. After a rocky start in show business—he was kicked off the set of “Romper Room” at age 5 for disruptive behavior—he started doing commercials and landed a role on a popular TV sitcom growing pains tv show before breaking into movies. He is considered one of the best actors of his generation. He is Leonardo Dicaprio.
Inspiring life changes : Locust Ridge music superstar : Country music superstar
The transformation: One of 12 children, she grew up “dirt poor” in a one-room cabin on a run-down tobacco farm in Locust Ridge, Tenn. She moved to this country music mecca Nashville, Tennessee and made a name for herself as a songwriter. Today, she has several Grammy Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a place in the Country Music Hall of Fame and a National Medal of Arts. She is Dolly Parton.
Inspiring life changes : Best-selling female country music artist
The transformation: This Canadian-born country music star started performing at age 8, singing for tips in bars, and then toured with a couple of bands before moving to Nashville. Her fledgling music career was interrupted when her parents were killed in an auto accident, and she returned to Canada to care for her younger siblings. She came back to record the best-selling country music album of all time. She is Shania Twain.
Inspiring life changes : Bronx pop, r b, hip hop and gospel grammy award winner : Multi-genre Grammy winner
The transformation: This singer, songwriter and record producer was born in a government housing project The Bronx New York and dropped out of high school during her junior year. She struggled for years to break free of drugs, alcohol and abusive relationships. Today, she is a best-selling recording artist, nine-time Grammy Award winner and the only person ever to receive Grammys in the Pop, Rap, Gospel and R&B categories. She is Mary J. Blige.
Inspiring life changes : Actress born in prison : Born behind bars
The transformation: This actress and singer was born in a federal prison while her mother was serving a 10-year stretch for her part in an international drug ring that smuggled tons of marijuana into the United States. Her guest appearance in a “Law & Order” episode when she was 13 led to larger parts and, eventually, a starring role in a popular TV series Gossip Girl. She is Leighton Meester.
Inspiring life changes : Grocery stock boy to gridiron champ
The transformation: This gridiron superstar was passed over during the NFL draft and ended up stocking shelves at a Hy-Vee grocery store in Cedar Falls, Iowa, for $5.50 an hour. He played Arena Football for three years and finally got a contract with the St. Louis Rams. During his 12 years as an NFL quarterback, he won multiple MVP honors, set numerous passing records and became a Super Bowl champion. He is Kurt Warner. Kurt Warner +New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals, Kurt Warner dancing with the stars
Inspiring life changes : Texas Rangers’ comeback kid
The transformation: This professional athlete, the first overall selection in the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft, Major League Baseball draft, started using drugs and alcohol after being injured in an automobile accident in 2001. He was out of baseball from 2003 to 2006 while he struggled to overcome his addictions and then resumed his career in 2007, going on to win honors as the American League batting and RBI champion (2008), batting champion (2010) and most valuable player (2010). He is Josh Hamilton.
Inspiring life changes : Billionaire writer
The transformation: A divorced mother with a young daughter, jobless and living on Social Security benefits, this British author was on a train when she thought of an idea for novel that would become one of the most successful series of books and films in history. Forbes magazine has said she is the only person ever to become a billionaire (in U.S. dollars) by writing books. She is J.K. Rowling. J.K. Rowling +more than 300 million books sold
The following celebrities have all transformed their lives in dramatic ways, some rising from poverty to stardom, others overcoming life challenges to achieve success. See if you can guess the identity of these stars.
The transformation: When her marriage ended, this California mother of three was forced to go on welfare to cover her mortgage and to pay for child care, which allowed her to keep working. She later used that experience to win election to the U.S. House of Representatives, united states house of representatives, where she has served her constituents for 20 years. She is Lynn Woolsey. Lynn Woolsey will not seek re-election in 2012
Inspiring life changes : Unlikely singing sensation
The transformation: At 48, this plain and unremarkable woman from Scotland became an international singing sensation after she appeared on the television program, “Britain’s Got Talent.” Though she placed second in the televised competition, the audience loved her. Her debut album was the most pre-ordered album of all time at Amazon.com. She is Susan Boyle. Susan Boyle I Dreamed A Dream musical opens March 23
Inspiring life changes : Boston bad boy
The transformation: The youngest of nine siblings from Boston’s rough-and-tumble Dorchester neighborhood, Boston's Dorchester neighborhood + crime rate, this now-famous film star was a drug addict at 13, charged with attempted murder at 16 and sent to prison for assault. After he was released, the high school dropout turned his life around to become a successful rapper/musician with the help of his older brother. He is Mark Wahlberg.
Inspiring life changes : Tech executive to washington state senator : Tech-savvy senator
The transformation: Elected to Congress in 1992, this former state legislator lost her first re-election bid in 1994 and took a job at Seattle-based RealNetworks, where she earned millions in stock options. Staging a political comeback in 2000, she won a narrow victory for a U.S. Senate seat in a recount, but the dot-com bust wiped out much of her fortune. She is Maria Cantwell.
Inspiring life changes : Online entrepreneur + 1999 TIME person of the year : Online entrepreneur
The transformation: This entrepreneur decided to strike out on his own in 1994. He drove from New York to Seattle, wrote the business plan for a new kind of Internet venture and founded a now hugely successful online company in his garage. His business made him a multi-billionaire and landed him on the cover of Time magazine as person of the year TIME's person of the year in 1999. He is Jeff Bezos.
Inspiring life changes : Prolific Maine novelist
The transformation: Unable to find work as a teacher after college school did he attend University of Maine, this author started his professional writing career while working in an industrial laundry and supplementing his income with occasional short-story sales to magazines. He became one of the most successful novelists in U.S. history but was nearly killed when he was struck by a car while walking along a road near his home in Maine. He is Stephen King. Stephen King + published 49 novels, Dark Towers movie
Inspiring life changes : Billionaire female media mogul : Media mogul
The transformation: Born into poverty Mississippi, United States and sexually molested as a young girl, this media icon was an unwed mother at 14 (her son was born premature and died in infancy). Determined to rise above her circumstances, she became a broadcast journalist and went on to become an entertainment phenomenon, multi-billionaire and world-class philanthropist whose face and name are known worldwide. She is Oprah Winfrey.
Inspiring life changes : Canadian stand-up to ace hollywood actor : Ace comic actor
The transformation: When he was in high school Canada, this actor and comedian lived with his family in a VW camper van and worked as a janitor at a nearby tire factory to help his parents make ends meet. He dropped out of school to pursue his passion for comedy and, soon after, moved to Los Angeles, eventually becoming one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood. He is Jim Carrey.
Inspiring life changes : Chronic gangsta rapper
The transformation: This influential rapper started out as a poor kid in a rough neighborhood Long Beach, California. Arrested several times for drug possession after high school, he did time in prison before getting involved in music and turning his life around. His first album hit No. 1 on Billboard’s hip-hop and Top 200 charts, and he continued to score with each new release. He is Snoop Dogg. Los Angeles Riderettes + Lady Arena Football League
Inspiring life changes : Alaska wild child turned hit singer : Alaskan wild child
The transformation: This genre-bending singer-songwriter grew up in a wilderness home Homer, Alaska without indoor plumbing. Determined to earn her living only with her music, she lived in her van and performed at taverns and street fairs, and was discovered in a San Diego coffee shop. She signed a contract with Atlantic Records and released her multi-platinum debut album when she was 21. She is jewel.
Inspiring life changes : Canadian teen pop sensation : Teen pop sensation
The transformation: This Canadian pop star, the son of a young single mother, grew up in a rodent-infested home with a near-empty fridge. At age 12, he placed second in a local talent contest, and his mother posted a video of the event on YouTube, causing a sensation. Signed to a record deal when he was 13, the young artist was soon releasing one chart-topping hit after another. He is Justine Bieber.
Inspiring life changes : Solo artist with 18 number 1 singles : Beautician turned singles hit maker
The transformation: This singer grew up in one of the poorest neighborhoods on Long Island. She moved to Manhattan to attend beauty school, shared a one-bedroom apartment with four roommates and held multiple part-time jobs to make ends meet. After handing her demo tape to a music executive at a party, she began a career distinguished by five Grammy Awards and 18 No. 1 singles, more than any other solo artist. She is Mariah Carey.
Inspiring life changes : Romper Room dropout turned actor : ‘Romper Room’ dropout
The transformation: This actor grew up poor in a rough section of Tinseltown. After a rocky start in show business—he was kicked off the set of “Romper Room” at age 5 for disruptive behavior—he started doing commercials and landed a role on a popular TV sitcom growing pains tv show before breaking into movies. He is considered one of the best actors of his generation. He is Leonardo Dicaprio.
Inspiring life changes : Locust Ridge music superstar : Country music superstar
The transformation: One of 12 children, she grew up “dirt poor” in a one-room cabin on a run-down tobacco farm in Locust Ridge, Tenn. She moved to this country music mecca Nashville, Tennessee and made a name for herself as a songwriter. Today, she has several Grammy Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a place in the Country Music Hall of Fame and a National Medal of Arts. She is Dolly Parton.
Inspiring life changes : Best-selling female country music artist
The transformation: This Canadian-born country music star started performing at age 8, singing for tips in bars, and then toured with a couple of bands before moving to Nashville. Her fledgling music career was interrupted when her parents were killed in an auto accident, and she returned to Canada to care for her younger siblings. She came back to record the best-selling country music album of all time. She is Shania Twain.
Inspiring life changes : Bronx pop, r b, hip hop and gospel grammy award winner : Multi-genre Grammy winner
The transformation: This singer, songwriter and record producer was born in a government housing project The Bronx New York and dropped out of high school during her junior year. She struggled for years to break free of drugs, alcohol and abusive relationships. Today, she is a best-selling recording artist, nine-time Grammy Award winner and the only person ever to receive Grammys in the Pop, Rap, Gospel and R&B categories. She is Mary J. Blige.
Inspiring life changes : Actress born in prison : Born behind bars
The transformation: This actress and singer was born in a federal prison while her mother was serving a 10-year stretch for her part in an international drug ring that smuggled tons of marijuana into the United States. Her guest appearance in a “Law & Order” episode when she was 13 led to larger parts and, eventually, a starring role in a popular TV series Gossip Girl. She is Leighton Meester.
Inspiring life changes : Grocery stock boy to gridiron champ
The transformation: This gridiron superstar was passed over during the NFL draft and ended up stocking shelves at a Hy-Vee grocery store in Cedar Falls, Iowa, for $5.50 an hour. He played Arena Football for three years and finally got a contract with the St. Louis Rams. During his 12 years as an NFL quarterback, he won multiple MVP honors, set numerous passing records and became a Super Bowl champion. He is Kurt Warner. Kurt Warner +New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals, Kurt Warner dancing with the stars
Inspiring life changes : Texas Rangers’ comeback kid
The transformation: This professional athlete, the first overall selection in the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft, Major League Baseball draft, started using drugs and alcohol after being injured in an automobile accident in 2001. He was out of baseball from 2003 to 2006 while he struggled to overcome his addictions and then resumed his career in 2007, going on to win honors as the American League batting and RBI champion (2008), batting champion (2010) and most valuable player (2010). He is Josh Hamilton.
Inspiring life changes : Billionaire writer
The transformation: A divorced mother with a young daughter, jobless and living on Social Security benefits, this British author was on a train when she thought of an idea for novel that would become one of the most successful series of books and films in history. Forbes magazine has said she is the only person ever to become a billionaire (in U.S. dollars) by writing books. She is J.K. Rowling. J.K. Rowling +more than 300 million books sold
