7 Extraordinary People Living Without Limbs | BORN DIFFERENT
In this Born Different special, we take a look at seven incredible individuals who live without limbs and do remarkable things.
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00:00 The world is full of incredible people and among those are individuals who live their lives by
00:05 promoting positivity despite being dealt a difficult hand in life. These seven individuals
00:11 all live their lives without all their limbs but never let that fact hold them back. Their
00:16 inspirational way of living was so compelling that millions and millions of you watch their
00:22 stories across Facebook, YouTube and Snapchat. Here's a countdown of seven amazing people
00:28 living extraordinary lives without limbs. I walk out the door and I feel like I'm Beyonce. Hello!
00:35 At number six, Tilly lost her hands when she was just 15 months old to meningitis.
00:44 I was originally diagnosed with an ear infection and sent home but it just really escalated from
00:50 there. When I went to change a nappy we noticed the um I say they look like bruise-like marks.
00:57 This woman came over to me and just said I think your daughter's gonna die and I was just like
01:03 what? Will she live? Will she live? That's all I kept asking and the nurses were just like
01:10 we don't know we can't say we don't know anything. They did say that I had to amputate my hands
01:16 and of course my family did worry about that but for them that was a really small price to pay for
01:21 my life. Her story went viral across the internet when she debuted her unique bionic arms. I love to
01:29 like match them with my outfit. I've got quite a lot of cases. I've got like six or seven pairs.
01:35 It's like picking out a new handbag, picking what shoes you're gonna wear,
01:39 matching it all together and I just love it. It's just so much fun.
01:45 22.2 million people have watched her story online and Tilly has even taken to improving
01:51 her makeup skills using her bionic arms. Although there's some elements that still
01:56 need a bit of practice. Who do you trust to do your makeup? Um don't know.
02:01 After last night she pushed me in the eye with mascara.
02:11 In at number five. Aged just five, Victoria was involved in a freak electrical accident
02:19 that caused her to lose both her arms and one of her legs.
02:23 The day that Victoria lost her limbs, I remember we were playing on the last floor of the house.
02:30 I was playing on skates and I touched high voltage cables with a metal rod.
02:36 We were on the second floor downstairs. We heard the sound of the house.
02:42 The house shook. It looked like there was a tremor but it wasn't. I went up.
02:46 I saw Victoria lying on the floor.
02:50 Suddenly everyone started screaming.
02:52 And that's when we were desperate to go to the clinic.
02:56 Having lost her limbs at such a young age, Victoria was able to adapt to life without them
03:02 and the things she can do with her leg inspired people across the world.
03:06 Due to all the incredible things that Victoria has been able to do,
03:12 she's become an established influencer and uses her platform to inspire others.
03:19 For me, inspiring others is an opportunity.
03:21 At number four.
03:26 My name is Sinikwe Kademunga. I'm 24 years old.
03:32 I don't know if there's a specific name for my disability but I was born without limbs.
03:38 I don't have hands. I don't have knees as well.
03:41 Growing up in Zimbabwe without all her limbs, Sinikwe had it harder than most.
03:47 When I was born, it was very hard for my family to accept that I was born with a disability.
03:54 Because by that time, when a child was born with a disability,
03:57 it was considered to be a curse from the gods.
04:00 Growing up without limbs, it was very difficult.
04:04 Especially when I go out there to meet with other kids.
04:07 People, they used to stare at me.
04:09 Some kids, they laughed at me.
04:11 So I faced a lot of challenges which made me realize that I was different.
04:16 But despite this tough start to life, with the support of her family,
04:20 she learned to block out those who judged her.
04:22 I have to be kind to myself. I have to love my body.
04:26 Because if I don't love my body, who's going to love me?
04:28 I realized that this is the body that God gave me and I'm going to live in this body forever.
04:33 So I just need to love myself and accept that this is who I am.
04:37 She's got such a big personality. She's someone who's very loving.
04:41 When I look at some of the things that she's been through,
04:44 I think I wouldn't have been able to go through half of the things
04:48 that she went through and still have a positive attitude and mentality towards life.
04:53 Next up at number three, not one but two inspirational women
05:01 who thought they were the only ones with a disability like theirs
05:04 until finding one another online.
05:06 When you don't see people like you,
05:08 it feels like you're the only person in the world that's like that.
05:12 I really thought I was the only one out here with that condition until I found Chastity.
05:17 We caught up with them on the day when they finally met in person for the first time.
05:22 We're going to see Jalisa. Going to see Jalisa. I'm super excited.
05:26 We are about two minutes away.
05:28 Hey!
05:32 Hi!
05:33 Welcome to Houston!
05:35 Hey!
05:35 Oh my God!
05:39 I'm Chastity. I'm from Arlington, Texas. I am 32 years old.
05:45 Hi, my name is Jalisa Osmond. I'm from Houston, Texas. I am 31 years old.
05:49 You have more toes than me. I'm jealous.
05:53 44.7 million people across social media tuned in to see these two bond over their
05:59 shared experiences of living life without all their limbs. And you can understand why.
06:05 I walk out the door and I feel like I'm being answered.
06:08 Hello!
06:09 At number two is Kaitlyn. She was just 18 when she contracted meningitis.
06:18 Within those first 12 hours, literally my whole body started to turn purple,
06:23 like right before my family's eyes. It progressed very fast.
06:29 We were constantly being told that they're doing everything they can,
06:33 but chances are not good. Prepare yourself for the worst.
06:37 I ended up getting all of my limbs amputated.
06:40 Having to adapt to such a massive physical change at that age was a huge adjustment for Kaitlyn.
06:47 But she found ways of seeing the positives.
06:50 And that's why this film racked up an amazing 68.5 million views.
06:56 I wanted to start my YouTube channel because I used to watch a lot of makeup tutorials.
07:02 That's when I became obsessed with makeup.
07:04 If you want to see me go from this to this, then keep on watching.
07:08 I was like, that looks really fun as something that I could do.
07:12 Our number one most viewed video is all about Gabe,
07:22 a young man who was born with Hanhart syndrome, which resulted in him having no arms or legs.
07:29 But he inspired us all by showing us how he's adjusted to life without any limbs at all.
07:34 Some of my biggest proudest moments in my life would be learning how to walk,
07:39 learning how to get myself dressed.
07:44 But it wasn't an easy journey for Gabe.
07:47 There were so many times when I was younger that I didn't understand
07:51 why they wouldn't just do it for me.
07:53 Like, I have no arms and legs, please just do it for me. I don't want to do it.
07:57 And they just say, no, you can do it. You'll figure out a way.
08:00 The biggest concern as a parent, obviously, was how do we
08:06 raise a son with no arms and legs to be independent?
08:09 Worked hard with Gabe to help him overcome different challenges and
08:15 handicaps and to help him be independent.
08:19 Despite the hardships he's faced,
08:20 Gabe didn't let his condition stop him from pursuing his passions.
08:25 - How's it taste?
08:27 - I first started dancing when I was in the seventh grade.
08:32 I told myself that I wanted to try out for the talent show.
08:35 I didn't tell anybody that I was trying out just because I wanted it to be a surprise.
08:39 So I tried out and I made the audition and I went home and I told my family and they're like,
08:44 "What did you do?"
08:45 I was like, "No, really, I danced."
08:51 I performed that dance in front of my entire junior high school and I got a standing ovation.
08:56 That was just a huge eye-opening moment that this is something that I could do,
09:01 that I wanted to do, and that if I just pushed myself, I could definitely do it.
09:05 And now I'm doing benefit concerts and helping raise money for people with sicknesses.
09:10 Gabe's story accumulated a huge 182 million views across Facebook, YouTube and Snapchat.
09:18 And it's clear to see why.
09:20 I've been able to accomplish so much and I think it's funny when people say,
09:27 "Do you wish you ever had prosthetics?"
09:28 And my answer is always, "No."
09:31 Because I've already come so far in my independence without them.
09:36 I like my body the way it is and I'm proud of what it's capable of doing.
09:40 So next time you're having a glass half-empty type of day,
09:44 think about these seven amazing individuals and how they've made so much out of their lives
09:50 without having what so many of us take for granted.
09:57 [BLANK_AUDIO]