Claudio Vieira de Oliveira from Monte Santo, Brazil has a rare medical condition called congenital arthrogryposis which causes many joints to be stiff and crooked at birth. He was given a zero chance of survival after he was born with the astonishing condition, but he has defied medical odds to become an inspirational public speaker.

The 37-year-old suffers from various disabilities, including badly deformed legs, almost no use of his arms and hands and his neck folded back on itself but he overcome his extreme disadvantages to graduate from university as an accountant and become a public speaker.

"People started saying 'the baby is going to die' because he could barely breath when he was born," said Claudio's mother Maria Jose.

Claudio had always wanted to be independent and begged his mother from a young age to let him go to school, despite not being able to use a wheelchair because of his unusual shape.

"Since I was a child I've always liked to keep myself busy and work, I don't like to depend totally on other people."

He types with a pen held in his mouth, operates phones and a computer mouse with his lips and has specially made shoes that allow him to move around town.

"I do a bit of accounting, research for clients and consulting," said Claudio.

Claudio tasted independence at the age of eight when he began to crawl around on his knees after years of being carried around by friends and family.

His family never tried to fix him and encouraged him to do normal, everyday things which boosted his confidence.

"Throughout my life I was able to adapt my body to the world. Right now, I don't see myself as being different. I am a normal person. I don't see things upside-down. This is one of the things I always talk about in my interventions as a public speaker."

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SOURCES: www.express.co.uk, www.dailymail.co.uk