This US Woman Became The World’s 1st Licensed Pilot Without Arms

Life has not been an easy journey for US-based woman Jessica Cox, who was born without arms due to a rare birth defect. This disability couldn’t stop her from performing great feats. Jessica can fly a plane with her feet. One of her videos has gone viral on Instagram. The overlay text on the video reads that Jessica is the first licensed pilot without arms. According to her, when people get to know that she is a pilot, they are surprised. The viral clip shows Jessica earning a black belt in martial arts, eating a banana, applying lipstick, driving, wearing contact lenses and engaging in other activities with her legs. Social media users get to know that Jessica initially used prosthetic arms but she stopped using them after 14 and instead started using her feet. She earned her pilot’s licence 3 years after training and controls the plane’s wheel with one foot, while controlling the throttle with the other foot. Jessica wishes to give the message that disability doesn’t mean inability. The video’s caption reads, “No arms? No problem? Jessica Cox is defying the odds by becoming everything she’s ever wanted, despite her birth defect. She cooks, drives, does karate, and even flys planes!”.

Social media users were left surprised to learn about Jessica’s determination and courage. One of the users lauded her by writing that she is not disabled and is instead more abled than her. Another wrote that it is an excellent example of someone who follows their dreams and doesn’t let anything stop them. A user wrote that after watching this, he can’t make any excuses.

In 2012 she married Patrick, her former Taekwondo instructor (she has two black belts). They live in Tucson Arizona, USA. Jessica travels around the world as a motivational speaker, using her own life as an example of what one can achieve if one wants it enough. She had once visited Ethiopia, a country in East Africa to help promote disability rights.

In 2015, Jessica published an autobiographical self-help book, Disarm Your Limits to inspire people to overcome their challenges through the lessons she has learned in her life.