Born without legs and abandoned the day she was born, Jennifer Bricker did not seem to have much of a future in store for her. That was until Gerald and Sharon Bricker, a couple from a small town in Illinois, decided to adopt Jennifer and raise her as their own.
As she grew up, Jennifer was given one important rule: Never say the word "can't." She was encouraged to pursue her interests and live her dreams.
In an interview, Jennifer said, "If you are never given limits, then you think, 'I can do anything.'"
Bricker proved that she coulddo anything, despite what most people would consider a crippling handicap. But Jennifer did not consider herself handicapped in the least. She played various sports, including softball, volleyball and basketball. Inspired by her childhood idol and Olympic gold medalist, Dominique Moceanu, Jennifer decided to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a gymnast. Before you knew it, the little girl that practiced flips on the trampoline with her dad had turned into the tumbling state champion and competitor in the Junior Olympics.
Jennifer was 16 when she finally decided to ask her parents about her adoption. All she wanted to know was what her biological last name would have been. The answer? Moceanu. Yes, Jennifer Bricker was the younger sister of her biggest hero and greatest inspiration.
A few years later Jennifer got up the courage to send a letter to her long-lost sister explaining the situation. She included photos and adoptive papers, to ensure Dominique would not write off the whole thing as one big joke.
The first time the two sisters spoke to each other on the phone, Bricker casually mentioned that she had no legs. Moceanu remembers thinking, "Who is this girl? How did she have this attitude to persevere in life and overcome every obstacle? And she's my sister!"
The gymnast sisters have since been reunited and are constantly amazed at all the similarities they have between them. "The tones in our voices, our handwriting, the way we laugh and chuckle. It's mind-blowing," Dominique told interviewers.
To this day, Jennifer continues to pursue her dreams with the loving support of two families. She has gone on to become a professional acrobat, even touring with Britney Spears. Her zeal for life and incredible attitude have impacted people worldwide. Jennifer has become living proof that there is nothing you "can't" do.
