3 Inspirational Talks By Amazing Double Amputee Athlete Aimee Mullins

Aimee Mullins was born without fibular bones, and had both of her legs amputated below the knee when she was an infant. She learned to walk on prosthetics, then to run -- competing at the national and international level as a champion sprinter, and setting world records at the 1996 Paralympics in Atlanta.

1) Aimee Mullins On Running (February 1998)
In this TED archive video from 1998, paralympic sprinter Aimee Mullins talks about her record-setting career as a runner, and about the amazing carbon-fiber prosthetic legs (then a prototype) that helped her cross the finish line.

 

2) How My Legs Give Me Superpowers (February 2009)
Athlete, actor and activist Aimee Mullins talks about her prosthetic legs  — she’s got a dozen amazing pairs — and the superpowers they grant her: speed, beauty, an extra 6 inches of height … Disabled? No, the opposite. She redefines what the human body will become.

3) Aimee Mullins Redefines Disability And Adversity (October 2009)
The thesaurus might equate "disabled" with synonyms like "useless" and "mutilated," but ground-breaking runner Aimee Mullins is out to redefine the word. Defying these associations, she shows how adversity -- in her case, being born without shinbones -- actually opens the door for human potential.

Related Links:
More About Aimee Mullins on AWR
More Ted Talks