A One-Handed Pep Talk

In the last month, Jordan has spoken twice about her limb difference to kids and adults. It’s pretty impressive.

A few weeks ago, Cameron’s basketball coach asked me if Jordan would be willing to talk about living with a limb difference and how it doesn’t hold her back. He hoped she could help motivate the fifth and sixth graders on the team. Jordan didn’t get to talk very much, but I edited together the experience because I think she did a wonderful job and she took the task very seriously – including dressing up for the occasion.

Not long after that presentation, I had a chance to speak to a human development course at the University of Missouri and Jordan joined me. A portion of the presentation included Jordan showing off how she wears her helper arm.

The part of the presentation I did not get a chance to share was when Jordan turned into my comedic sidekick. She kept making funny comments as I spoke and it kept the class full of college students laughing and learning at the same time. That was very cool.

I’m super proud of how Jordan is learning to speak and encourage others by sharing her story about how being different isn’t really that different after all. For an eight-year-old, I think that’s pretty awesome.