 Five shocking facts about Nars and Mandela that you didn't know. Five, Mandela's first wife, Evelyn, left him because of his political activism, and the effect it was having on their family. Four, during his imprisonment on Robin Island, Mandela was forced to do hard labor in a limestone quarry, which caused permanent damage to his eyesight. Three, he was an inspiration for the character of Mufasa in The Lion King. According to the creators of the Disney movie, The Lion King, the character of Mufasa was partly inspired by Nelson Mandela. Two, he was a boxer. Mandela was a keen boxer in his younger days, and even trained as an amateur boxer during his time as a law student. One, Nelson Mandela was classified as a terrorist by the United States until 2008, despite his legacy as a peaceful revolutionary.