the inspiration: meet the people
Many people have learned to succeed even though they were missing a limb or other body parts
Some amputees use prosthetic devices and some do well without them. These people are passionate about what they do and are an inspiration to many people. They have made it seem okay and sometimes even cool to be different than other people. The knowledge that doctors, engineers, scientists, and inventors have gained helping humans can now be used to help animals too. People can ask for help all by themselves but animals need us to look after them and to get help for them when they are hurt.
Aimee Mullins
Aimee Mullins was born without fibular bones which are leg bones from the knee down. She had to have both of her lower legs amputated when she was an infant. That didn't slow her down! She learned to run and became a champion in track and field events. She became an actress and fashion model. That inspired her to have many different types prosthetic legs. Some make her look tall, some help run fast, some are artistic, and some look like expensive fancy shoes! She is famous for giving speeches on TED Talks.
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Bethany HamiltonWhen Bethany Hamilton was thirteen years old she was learning how to surf when a 14-foot tiger shark bit off her left arm. She didn't give up on trying to be a famous surfer. It took over a year of recovery but then she went back to the water. She won her first national title in 2007 at the age of seventeen. Her auto-biography was turned into a movie called Soul Surfer in 2011. She is now a successful mom, wife, professional surfer, author, and speaker.
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