8 Homeless People Who Turned super rich

You may have several dreams for becoming successful and super rich but do you also strong hopes and faith in your dreams. Here is an interesting story about the 8 homeless people who with talent, hard work and luck achieved fame and richness. Their real life story will inspire you how to build a professional career despite having nothing at all, reports Business Insider.

1. Comedian Jim Carrey

Astonishing Fact - Lived in a VW camper van with family and in a tent on his sister's front lawn

Jim Carrey is famous as an actor, comedian and producer, born in 1962. Carrey was famous as a natural performer even in his childhood, and in his junior high school he performed several stand-up acts for his classmates.  Carrey did not live a comfortable during his adolescence. Carrey used to attend high school during the day and work for 8 hours shift during every night in the Titan Wheels factory. When he was unable to keep up his grades, he was bound to drop school.

Then was the time when his family faced huge financial crisis which lead him to live in a VW bus with his family which has been parked in various places throughout Canada. He eventually moved into a tent on his older sister's lawn. He says he developed a sense of humor during those tough times.

2. Helle Berry

Astonishing Fact – She stayed in a homeless shelter in her early twenties

The time when Halle Berry wanted to become an actress and moved to Chicago to try her luck, within a month she ran out of money. She had worked in a departmental store and participated in several beauty contests. When she was totally smashed, she called her mother to send her some money, but this good mom refused to do so. Over the phone her mother said, “Figure it out or come home”. This made Berry so furious that she didn’t spoke to her mother for a year and a half. During those days she struggled for money and stayed in homeless shelter, but today she is one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood.

What she thinks of her mother today? She says, “She drove me there (to the success), but I don't think she ever thought it would pan out… It taught me how to take care of myself and that I could live through any situation, even if it meant going to a shelter for a small stint, or living within my means, which were meager. I became a person who knows that I will always make my own way”, as told to Starpulse.com.

3. Francis O’Dea

Astonishing Fact – He was homeless because of his drinking problem

The co-founder of Canada's largest specialty chain of coffee shops, Frank O'Dea was born in Montreal. This Canadian entrepreneur, humanitarian and author, in his early 20s used to live on the streets, approach strangers and beg for food or money. That was, until in 1975 he and his business partner Tom Culligan opened Second Cup chain of coffee stores. Today, second cup is the largest specialty coffee chain in Canada with 360 locations. He says “There is no Midas touch. I’ve had lots and lots of failures. Success happens by trial and error and devoting resources and time”, as told to Thechronicleherald.ca.

4. Suze Orman

Astonishing Fact – She lived in her Ford van for four months in 1973

Today she advices you the best on how to manage your finances and is known as a personal finance ‘guru’, but when she moved to Berkeley during the early days of her career, she faced rough days. Orman couldn’t afford to move out of her van for four months, she earned her living by working as a waitress before becoming a financial advisor.

She is said to have about $7 million worth of real estate and her net worth is approximately $25 million, as reported by msn.com. In 2010, Orman was named in the Forbes Magazine list of 100 most powerful women in the world. Orman is the winner of two Emmy awards and has written nine consecutive New York Times bestsellers.

5. Jewel Kilcher

Astonishing Fact – Homeless for about a month and almost died in a parking lot

Jewel Kilcher, born on May 23, 1974, is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, actress and poet. There are more than 27 million albums of this multi-platinum singer worldwide. It’s hard to imagine but Jewel had to live on the streets after being fired from her job. In an interview with Adam on Showbizspy, the singer said:

“I ended up homeless because my boss propositioned me and when I wouldn’t sleep with him he didn’t give me my paycheck,” she said.

“I got kicked out of where I was living and my rent was due that next day.

“I thought ‘Well, I’ll live in my car for a minute… get back on my feet,’ but I had bad kidneys and I never could hold down another job because I got sick so often. I didn’t have insurance and ended up almost dying in the parking lot of an emergency room because they wouldn’t admit me because I didn’t have insurance.

“I ended up homeless for about a month and I went back to singing.”

6. Chris Gardner  

Astonishing Fact – Once struggled with homelessness while raising his toddler son

Christopher Gardner, born on February 9, 1954, is an American entrepreneur, stockbroker, investor, motivational speaker, author, and philanthropist. During the early 1980s, Gardner lived on the street with his young son and wife while he was in a finance training program.

The movie "The Pursuit of Happyness" starring Will Smith is based on the life on Gardner. He is the publisher of two New York Times bestselling: his autobiography "The Pursuit of Happyness" and "Start Where You Are: Life Lessons in Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be."

It is reported in his Web site that Gardner's childhood was "marked by poverty, alcoholism, domestic violence, sexual abuse and family illiteracy."

7. Ella Fitzgerald

Astonishing Fact – Struggled with homelessness before becoming the 'Queen of Jazz’

Ella Jane Fitzgerald was born on April 25, 1917, is popularly known as the “arguably the finest female jazz singer of all time”. Fitzgerald early life was never a bed of roses, as after her mother’s death from a heart attack, she was abused by her step father. For a short time span she worked with the mafia before the police sent her in a school for girls.

Fitzgerald ran away from there and lived in homeless shelter until she gave her debut performance at the Apollo Theater in 1934. Her voice quickly touched several hearts and brought her recognition. In her entire singing career, she won 13 Grammy Awards and received medals from both President Reagan and George H. W. Bush.

8. Charlie Chaplin

Astonishing Fact – Even before the age of 10, he had to figure out how to make a living on the streets of London

Charlie Chaplin was born on 16 April 1889, is known as one of the greatest actors during the silent film era. Chaplin's childhood was burdened with poverty and hardship. After the premature death of his father, Chaplin's mother was put in a mental hospital while he and his brother had to work to make a living by themselves.

Chaplin started working as a house servant at the young age of seven years. But since both his parents were in show business, Chaplin and his brother decided to follow suit. After establishing himself as a finest actor and comedian, at the age of 26, he was offered work under a contract which promised to pay him $670,000 a year and with this he also became one of the highest paid person in the world of that era.

Chaplin died during his sleep in the early morning of 25 December 1977 at his home in Switzerland.