When I was younger, well, so much younger than today, say 30
years younger ;-) I do have an ambition to one day fly a plane on my own ;-) With
all the other factors that took effect on my life, let’s just say sh*t happens
to people! Needless to say, that ambition to fly didn’t happen…
Let’s move on!!! I would like you to meet Jessica Cox, she’s not just one hell of a pilot, yes folks, she is a licensed pilot and her story is just amazing… Her story is
really worth to tell…
At a hospital in Sierra Vista, Arizona on February 2, 1983,
a baby came into this world without arms as a result of a rare birth defect.
Everyone who was there that day recalls their emotions of helplessness when
they first saw little Jessica. Her mother Inez was especially devastated, who
was overwrought. Who would take care of this child as she grew to become an
adult, and who would love her? What kind of life could she have without the
ability to do even the most basic things like eat or hold a phone or drive?
With incredible perseverance and faith, Jessica Cox has learned to do all of
those things and much more — with her feet. With strong faith and the help of
her family, against all odds, she put herself through high school and then
college, typing papers with her toes.
Unbelievable? Well, she got her driver’s
license and then astonishingly, her pilots license – a feat that landed her in
the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s only armless pilot. It also
allowed her to do what she’d always dreamed of doing: launching a career as a
motivational speaker and advocate for the disabled.
Jessica Cox got married to her former Taekwondo instructor in
May of 2012 (she has two black belts). There were many well-wishers there that
day, including three young girls — Teresa, Ana and Ira —who were also born
without arms. They shared in Jessica’s joy, and took away something to bolster
their own self-esteem. We filmed the entire event, including the ecstatic
moment when Ira caught Jessica’s bouquet. Jessica threw it with her right foot,
and Ira caught it with her chin! That is only one instant out of many wonderful
things we’ve filmed this past year as part of RIGHTFOOTED, attesting to
Jessica’s determination, generous spirit, and enthusiasm for life.
Jessica is a woman of extreme courage and accomplishment…
but she knows that in many places in the world the disabled face so much
prejudice that even extreme courage and faith are not enough. In some places in
Africa for example, people with disabilities are often perceived as
“unwanteds”, punished by angry ancestral spirits. Shunted aside by society,
they are rarely accepted into the mainstream world and become beggars. This is
the kind of adversity Jessica wants to confront and to change. In 2013, Jessica
will be traveling to Ethiopia in partnership with acclaimed NGO Handicap
International. She’ll be visiting schools where children with disabilities are
being incorporated into the general student population, and engaging local
media to spread a message of acceptance and opportunity. She’ll be working
directly with the Ethiopian children and their families to show these
ostracized kids that the sky truly is the limit for them, if they believe it to
be. This is part of her mission in life, and something truly important. By
documenting it, Jessica’s methods and message can truly be shared with the
world.
RIGHT FOOTED chronicles Jessica’s amazing story of
overcoming adversity and her ongoing work to change the lives of other people –
disabled and “normal”. Her message is not just about disability, it’s about the
importance of being different. That’s a belief she continues to share, group by
group, family by family, child by child, and with your help she will reach
many, many more people.
Jessica’s goal with this film is to touch and inspire
anyone who feels different, and create enormous change. This documentary is the
incredible story of a woman who would not let even the most severe physical
limitations stop her. It’s a universal film that will touch and inspire anyone
who feels different for any reason. It is our hope to share Jessica’s story in
schools, and on television and via the Internet, all over the world.
We found ourselves with complete set of what a person should
have as a being… Jessica is calling us out to reach out, do our part and help
others…
Cheerio!
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