This amazing story will make you question if you really have any excuse to not follow your dreams. Jennifer Bricker, given up at birth by her biological parents, was adopted and taught to never say the word “can’t” by her adoptive parents. She was raised by Gerald and Sharon Bricker, who encouraged her to pursue her dreams. Jennifer now makes her living as an acrobat. What you would never guess is that she was born without legs.
She says that, “If you were never given limits, then you think, ‘I can do anything.'” She has proven this time and time again throughout her life. Her love of gymnastics prompted her to start training on the trampoline at the age of seven with her dad. She went on to enter tumbling competitions and then began winning them. By high school, Jennifer had attained the title of Tumbling Champion of the State of Illinois. She also pursued other sports including basketball, volleyball, and softball.
Jennifer’s childhood hero was Olympic gymnast Dominique Moceanu. She loved to watch her on TV and it inspired her to pursue competing. What Jennifer found out years later was shocking. When she was 16 and curious about her biological parents, she found out her last name would have been Moceanu. Jennifer discovered she was, in fact, Dominique Moceanu’s biological sister.
Jennifer reached out to her hero in a letter, sending photos and copies of her adoption papers. The news was an unbelievable surprise to then 26-year-old Dominique who was quickly impressed by her sister’s indomitable spirit. The sisters hit it off in their initial conversations and now share a close relationship.
