Hey all, I have to write a short thesis for a stupid class I'm taking for my associate's degree and the basic theme is "experiences in my life that have influenced who I've become" and I've decided to specifiy as one of the events the fact that my mother died when I was 17. Of course they need research into this and so I went on the internet hoping to find studies that supported my contention that it made me stronger and more independent.

I quickly found that most of the papers dealt more with the delatorious effects of the loss of a parent and that I should be one very screwed up individual, on the brink of a nervous breakdown.

Since I'm pretty proud of my accomplishments I was wondering if any of you knew any resources that might point to famous or successful people that have overcome their loss and gone on to overachieve. I know Clinton lost a parent at an early age but not sure if my instructor is a Republican. Might not be a good reference.