Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He lifted himself out of his wheelchair and lifted a nation out of despair.

FDR was President from 1933-1945. He was struck down in the prime of life with polio, and never walked again, needing help just to stand. The public never knew this until years after his death-the White House press corp, wisely, kept this knowledge out of the news.

FDR's dynamism and confidence inspired Americans to beat the Great Depression, even if the recovery policies were somewhat flawed... and beat the Axis powers in WW2.