[crader]

Fitness Unarmed

I just wanted to give a little inspiration to the people here. She is living proff that you can overcome the odds and suceed. You just have to want it bad enough!!

[Usf97j4x4]

Barbie's Story:

Many Times People Are Afraid To Ask, But Everybody Wants To Know...how Did I Lose My Arms?

When I Was 2 ½ Years Old, I Lived In An Apartment Complex In Pasadena, Tx. I Was Outside Playing With Several Other Children, And Being A Typical 2 Yr Old, I Was In And Out Of The Apartment A Thousand Times. While I Was Outside, I Did Something That Would Change My Life In An Instant. I Climbed Up On A Transformer. For Anyone Who Is Not Sure What A Transformer Is, It Is One Of Those Big Green Electrical Boxes That You Might See Outside Your House - Only This One Was Much Bigger. As I Climbed Up, I Grabbed Onto The Wires.

Electricity 101: When Electricity Enters A Body, It Has To Have An Entry Point As Well As An Exit Point. It Entered Through Both Of My Hands, Traveled Through My Little Body, And Exited Through Both Of My Legs. That Is Why There Are Burns/scars On Both Of My Legs. My Arms Were Burned All The Way Through To The Bone. They Were Like Charcoal. They Were Completely Dead And Had To Be Amputated At The Shoulders. I Now Have A Shoulder On My Right Side, Which I Use For Many Things, And Not Much On The Left Side. My Kids Call These My "nubs".

The Doctors Said That I Probably Would Not Live. They Said If I Did Live I Would Be A Vegetable For The Rest Of My Life. My Parents Did Not Want That For Me. My Mom Prayed That If I Had To Live As A Vegetable, That God Would Just Take Me. She Also Made A Promise To God That Day- If He Let Me Live, She Would Make Sure That I Became "somebody."

The Doctors Were Boggled By My Recovery. They Decided I Must Have Survived Because Of The Rubber Soles On My Tennis Shoes. True, They May Have Played Their Part, But I Believe I Survived Because God Saw The Bigger Picture And Had Plans For Me!

My Parents Did Not Have A Clue How I Was Going To Get Through Life With No Arms. Then One Day, My Mom Came Into My Hospital Room. As I Lay In My Hospital Bed, Surrounded By All Of My Stuffed Animals, I Reached Out My Legs To Give Her A Hug- It Was At That Moment That She Realized I Would Use My Legs And Feet.

For A Long Time, We Struggled-mainly Because I Was So Stubborn. What Can I Say? Some Things Never Change! She Made Me Learn How To Do Things For Myself. She Helped And Guided Me Along The Way, But She Was Determined For Me To Be Independent And Self-reliant. I Didn't Always Like Her For That. Now, I Am Extremely Grateful!

Now That I Have Kids Of My Own, I Cannot Even Imagine How Difficult That Must Have Been For Her. I'm Not So Sure That I Could Have Been Half As Strong As She Was If I Was In Her Shoes.

I Also Cannot Go Without Saying How Special My Dad Is To Me. Yes, My Mom Was The One Who Made Me Such An Independent Woman, But My Dad Has Always Been There For Me, Too. Although He Has Always Been Slightly Over-protective Of Me- And That's Putting It Mildly- He Is Also A Huge Support To Me. He Undoubtedly Has More Confidence In Me Than Anyone! I Still Look Up To Him As A Father, But He Is Also One Of My Closest Friends. I Will Always Be "daddy's Little Girl!"

I Believe God Had A Plan For Me. I Am Here To Serve A Purpose. I Believe I Am Here On Earth To Be An Example And An Inspiration. I've Been Told That I Touch People's Lives Without Even Realizing It - Just By Living My Life The Way I Do.

I Do Believe God Allowed This To Happen For A Reason, And He Had A Plan In Store For Me. He Let Me Live, My Mom Held Up Her End Of The Bargain, And The Rest Is Up To Me! All I Can Say Is I'll Do My Best! I Hope I Will Reach Many People In My Lifetime. Perhaps I've Already Reached You.

[Usf97j4x4]

Wow... that is NUTS! Good for her (minus arms)

[Zero V]

That is the definition of a true champion. I don't care how many reps you do, or how far you run, I dare you to show as much heart as that woman right there.

[Manimalia]

i don't even know what to say to this. i can't comprehend it. but i guess i can just say: wow.

[Botch]

Good for her, that's some true perseverance right there!!!!

[SteveAustin]

Wow, now THAT is a true inspiration. I sure would love to meet her and shake her hand - er, I mean... uhh never mind

[TheUnlikelyToad]

I met her two years ago at tha Arnold.

I spoke with her a little last year as well... very sincere person and down to earth.