Louis Zamperini. American juvenile delinquent who channelled his defiance into running, a talent which took him to the Berlin Olympics & within sight of the 4 minute mile. When war came he became a pilot but became stranded on a drifting liferaft. He survived thousands of miles of open ocean, sharks, near-starvation & circling sharks. Eventually 'rescued', he ended up in a POW camp, experiencing all the degredation & torture that took place in those hellholes.
You must read a book called Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, telling his whole story. Fascinating. (same author who wrote Seabiscuit).
And... (don't read if you're bored. Then you can't mock or criticise).
His family thought he had been killed in action but he returned home. He became an alcoholic (unsurprisingly), but then met Billy Graham who inspired him to launch a career as a Christian inspirational speaker. At the age of 81 he returned to Berlin stadium where he won a gold medal in the 10000 metres.
He is still alive - at the age of 94 and lives in New York.
I am in an informative mood today bobbs... I read the Dickie Doyle story yesterday, which reminded me of other inspiring stories I've read recently. Tomorrow I shall do 'remarkable women' - unless some smartass beats me to it.
I shall, naturellement, be at the top of the list. Would that be a tad immodest? ;-)