We often look to celebrities to inspire us, to act as role models - and to serve as examples of what we can be when we recognize our possibilities, no matter what our circumstances may be.
For those who have experienced limb loss, Aimee Mullins is one such example. Aimee is a well-known model and actor who has built her career on advocating a new perspective on prosthetic devices for women, men, and children alike.
Learn about her journey, her success, and her innovative vision as a limb loss survivor and role model.
Aimee Mullins: Amputee
Aimee was born without her fibular bones and had both of her legs amputated below the knee. She began to walk on her first pair of prosthetic legs at the age of two.
Even from an early age, Aimee didn’t let limb loss define her or limit her. Like athlete Blake Leeper, Aimee found an affinity for sports at a young age and began wearing running prosthetic legs. She tried softball and soccer, swimming and skiing, excelling in a variety of activities. At seventeen, she graduated high school as the youngest person allowed top-security clearance at the Pentagon, with a full scholarship from the Department of Defense.
Sports Star and Model
During her time at Georgetown University, she became the first-ever amputee - male or female - to compete as an athlete in the NCAA. She began setting records nationally and internationally as a champion Paralympic sprinter and double amputee as she grew. At the same time, she began her modeling career, which then flourished into an acting career. During this time, she accepted the role of official Ambassador for the ESPN Tribeca Sports Film Festival and starred in Matthew Barney’s Cremaster 3, an avant-garde film.
Advocate and Ambassador
Aimee had an extraordinary vision. Instead of developing prostheses with human-like features, she looked into the abilities of animals. She was then outfitted with the first running prosthetic device modeled after a cheetah’s legs. Those legs now act as prototypes for many sports prosthetic devices. Her unique designs and creative vision are unparalleled.
Named one of People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People in the World,” Aimee represents L’Oreal Paris as their Global Brand Ambassador and continues to hold notable positions in organizations like Women’s Sports Foundation.
Additionally, Aimee has become an accomplished speaker. Her TED Talks are some of the most viewed in the history of the conference, and have been translated into 41 languages so they can share her inspiration around the globe.
Achieving Success like Aimee
Many of Aimee’s remarkable achievements come not only from her determination and spirit, but also from the prosthetic devices she has worn, which have expanded her horizons and given her the same capabilities as anyone else.
BioTech Limb and Brace in Birmingham, AL specializes in designing and developing prosthetic and orthopedic devices that allow people to go above and beyond whatever limitations they think they have due to limb loss. We like to show people that you are never limited - just like Aimee.
Contact our experienced team of professionals to start recognizing your possibilities today!