Club foot is a physical abnormality that is present at birth. Fortunately, the birth defect can successfully be corrected with early intervention. Children with club foot go on to live normal, active lives—in fact, some grow up to be quite noteworthy. Here is a look at 5 well-known people who were born with club foot.
King Tut
After scientists were able to re-examine King Tut’s mummified remains with CT scans, they discovered that the young pharaoh had a club foot. This discovery changed the theory of how King Tut died. It was once a popular theory that his death was caused by a chariot crash, but due to his club foot he would have had a limp and used a cane, which would have made riding in chariots unlikely. Scientists now theorize the cause of death was genetic and due to an inherited disease.
Lord Byron
Lord Byron was an influential English Romantic poet, best known for his narrative poem, Don Juan. He was born with a club foot and was known to have been sensitive about his condition. He endured painful treatments before eventually getting a corrective boot.
Damon Wayans
Damon Wayans is a stand-up comedian, writer, and actor. He comes from a large comedic family and worked with his brothers on the sketch comedy show In Living Color. Several of his television roles were influenced by his experiences with growing up as a poor child with club foot.
Mia Hamm
Mia Hamm is best known for her career as an American soccer player. If you’re old enough, you may remember watching her play and win in the 1996 Olympics, when she was a member of the US women’s soccer team.
Her career is exceptional enough, but what makes it even more amazing is that as a child she had to overcome a partial club foot. Hamm’s foot was corrected with using casts. Her sister Caroline Cruickshank remembers, “As soon as those things were taken off her feet, you could not stop her.”
Jennifer Lynch
Daughter of David Lynch, creator of the hit television show Twin Peaks, Jennifer Lynch was born with a severe case of club feet. She was placed in casts from day one of her life, and due to the treatment, she never crawled. Rather, she scooted because of the bars and boots on her feet. While she may not be as recognizable as her father, in recent years she has directed episodes of Finding Carter, Teen Wolf, and The Walking Dead.
