SAINT PAUL, Minn. - A 3-year-old girl born without arms got the chance to meet someone who looked just like her— and happens to be the first-ever armless pilot.
RE Pranke of St. Paul, Minnesota, met Jessica Cox, a motivational speaker born without arms, on July 24, at the premiere of “Right Footed,” a documentary about Cox as she overcame adversity to become an accomplished martial artist, airplane pilot and advocate for the disabled.
Pranke’s mother, Karlyn, first learned of Cox when she found out at 20 weeks of pregnancy that her daughter, Ruth Evelyn, would be born without arms, ABC News reported. She and Cox connected on Facebook, leading to a photo of RE and Cox sharing a hug.
"The top question I get as a speaker is 'How do you hug?'" Cox told ABC News. "That picture clearly showed that you don't need arms to embrace someone. "It was special that we could feel the same, mutual feeling— what a hug is without arms.”
Karlyn drove six hours to meet Cox, who, by request, showed the toddler her airplane.