Jessica Cox – The Armless Pilot

Born on the 2nd of February in 1983, Jessica Cox came into the world surprising everyone when she was born without arms. Without have a clear explanation from the Doctors, her parents tried to provide her with a normal life and decided against putting their daughter in alternative schools. Her parents believed that she shouldn’t be excluded from normal activities with her peers for Jessica had the appropriate mindset that she was capable of anything.

Taking To The Skies

She overcame these major life obstacles and conquered the skies by becoming the armless first pilot, with the assistance of her feet.  She found a plane that only required two controls that she could operate with her feet, earning her the Guinness World Record for being the first armless aviation pilot. She has taught herself to drive an automatic car, as well as to play the piano.

If being a piano-playing pilot wasn’t accomplishing enough for Cox, she took it a step further and obtained two black belts in Taekwondo! She could give Bruce Lee a run for his money as she perfected the art of nun-chucks, using nothing but her toes. She went on to marry her former instructor Patrick Chamberlain in 2012.

Growing Up Normal

Jessica Cox went to a regular school, not to a special needs or a private one, she would do everything that all the other kids did in their childhood. In playgrounds, Jessica would be on the swings and look up at the skies, picture what Superwoman sees when she flies around. She would dream about how amazing it would be to show her friends the beauty of the heavens.

Ditching Prosthetics

Being so fearless at such a youthful age and confident in her own abilities had set the momentum for the rest of her life. To the point where she discarded her prosthetic arms of 11 years for not only were they uncomfortable, but they were also prohibiting her from doing what she wanted to do. She felt more comfortable and connected with her feet. That decision had changed her life forever and required a lot of mental strength to not let the gaze of her abilities determine her success.

Spreading a Message

It was no surprise that she went to study Psychology at the University of Arizona to explore its influences on the perception of those around us. With a lifetime of achievements and conquering emotional warfare, Cox went out to become a motivational speaker to share her story of inspiration and for living such a full, incredible life. She has also taken part in disability rights protests in places like Ethiopia and the Philippines.