Jennifer Bricker was raised with one rule, “Never say ‘can’t’!”
But what if you’re left at the hospital by your parents the
day of your birth because you have no legs?
And what if your dream is to be a gymnast, and play basketball and
softball, and eventually be a star in Hollywood? ‘Never say can’t’ doesn’t just sound unrealistic…it
sounds cruel.
But for this amazing young woman, who was adopted by amazing
parents, it was the phrase that gave her life direction.
Jennifer grew up idolizing Olympic gold medal gymnast
Dominique Moceanu. So at 7 she began to
work with her father on a trampoline.
And by high school she had become the Illinois state tumbling
champion. And yes, she also played high
school softball and basketball.
But one question continued to nag her…who were her birth
parents? At 16 she asked and learned
that her last name had been…Moceanu…and her idol growing up, gold medalist
Dominique Moceanu…was in fact her birth sister.
Jennifer tracked down the contact information of her hero,
sent her proof of their relationship, and then phoned her sister.
Jennifer recalled highlights of that first conversation…that
they were sisters, that Jennifer was also a gymnast, and oh yeah, that she had
no legs. Is it any wonder that little
sister is now big sister’s hero?
Jennifer presently lives in Hollywood, has toured as an
acrobat with Brittany Spears, and is training for an upcoming aerial performance
at the Lincoln Center.
Jennifer Bricker is a hero
you should know. And I’m Dr. Ross Porter.
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