“Handicaps are mindsets. Whatever stands in the way of achieving something, that’s when it’s a handicap. I prefer to see them as obstacles or challenges. This is how I’ve been my whole life. I don’t know any different. I just live my life through my feet” — Jessica Cox


Many a time, we hear about people who blame things around them for their failures. We tend to think life has not treated us in a fairway.

· With the right attitude, nothing really is impossible. Jessica Cox is living proof that we can achieve anything with hard work and dedication.

· Jessica Cox was born in 1983. The first time her parents saw her, they were in shock – Jessica had no arms. Doctors could not explain why she was born that way. Neither the parents nor the doctors could do anything.

· Jessica’s parents never wanted to exclude her from regular activities. They wanted her to feel like a normal child. Jessica Cox went to a regular school, and she would do everything that all the other kids did in their childhood. She danced in front of a crowd when she was a young girl. Even though nervous at first, she crushed her fears after the performance. That set the tone for the rest of her life.

·  After finishing high school, Jessica Cox enrolled at the University of Arizona. She graduated from the university with flying colors. In addition to that, she has a driver’s license and even a black belt in Karate. She is the first armless person in the United States to do so!

· Jessica always had one dream – “The dream to fly”. As a kid, she always imagined how she was a Superwoman that can fly above the skies, and see the wonderful world that surrounds us. As she grew older, Jessica realized she was terrified of flying. But, Jessica has always turned negative feelings into positive things

· Jessica enrolled herself in a flying academy and in three years completed her training and passed her check-ride in 2008 to become a fully-licensed pilot. She continues changing the lives of the people and inspires them to take control of their life.