Jessica Cox: First and Only Armless Certified Pilot in US is half Filipino

As I watched TV this morning, I saw Jessica Cox being interviewed at GMA7 Unang Hirit and she is now here in the Philippines.

In case you never heard of her, Jessica Cox is the first and only armless certified pilot in US and she is half Filipino.

Jessica, who was born without arms is the daughter of William and Ines but they never saw their child as a victim. Instead, Jessica was allowed to live like any normal child, and grew up with a lot of encouragement and support.

Below is a piece of her story and some of her videos that show her talents. I really encourage you to watch all of them and be inspired.

During her childhood, she learned how to write and feed herself using her feet. She participated in various sports activities which includes swimming, gymnastics, and tap dancing. Jessica started Tae kwon-do when she was 10, and earned her first black belt at 14 in the International Tae Kwon-Do Federation.

When Jessica learned how to drive for the first time drive, she was encouraged to use special modifications but she decided to remove them. Nevertheless, she holds an unrestricted driver’s license.

Amazingly, Jessica can also type out her papers with a regular computer keyboard on the floor with 25 words per minute.

As a beautiful and young lady, she can also put in contact lens, washing and brushing her hair, and fixing breakfast in the morning all by herself.

"Just as everyone uses their hands, I use my feet instead," Jessica explained.

Just three years ago, the 25-year old Psychology graduate from the University of Arizona had never been in a small airplane. She did not even imagined that one day she will be a pilot.

But in August 2005, Col. Robin Stoddard, who is the Executive Director and founder of Wright Flight Inc., which is a non-profit organization in Tucson approached Jessica after her speaking engagement at a Tucson Rotary Club Luncheon. Jessica was asked "if she ever thought of flying an airplane."

Pilot Jessica Cox on Inside Edition

Jessica Cox Documentary by Melissa Tan





FAA Focus Interview with Jessica Cox

Looking back, Jessica says that flying is her greatest fear in life but now she conquered it.

Truly enough, Jessica Cox is a great inspiration not only to people who have disabilities but to everyone who thinks that it is impossible to reach their dreams.

Being a Filipino, I am really proud of her and I hope her life story will remind us that there is always hope. That we can reach our dreams but only if we act and do our best.

Now, she is sharing her life to the world by being an international motivation speaker.

To know more about her, you can visit her website at http://rightfooted.com

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