Gallery: Oprah's Rags-To-Riches Life Story And The Tragic Obstacles She Faced Along The Way

Here’s a riddle: what are the five most powerful letters in the English alphabet? Answer: O-P-R-A-H. The entire world is on a first name basis with Oprah Gail Winfrey. Over the past 30 years she has become more like a humble deity than a human being, inspiring and helping countless people reach their life goals. 

Most people know about her impressive resume as a multi-hyphenate (talk show host, CEO, Chairwoman, producer, etc.), but none of that happened overnight for Oprah, and it was not all sunshine and giveaways.