I just returned from Skills for Life 7 in Houston, and my heart is still overflowing.
This conference is unlike any other. It brings together people from all over the world who’ve lost their arms—or all four limbs—to help them regain independence, build community, and discover what’s possible again. For many attendees, it’s the very first time they’ve met someone else who looks like them. That moment alone is life-changing.
I first attended Skills for Life in 2017, and it immediately felt like home. Since then, I’ve stayed connected with this incredible community, and this year I had the opportunity to take on something very close to my heart: working with children who were born without arms—kids just like me.
We created space not just for education, but for conversation. Honest, heartfelt conversations between children and their parents, about living without arms—not as a limitation, but as a launching point for resilience, creativity, and confidence.
One of the most unforgettable moments of the weekend happened on stage. I stood before the audience and said something I’d waited a long time to say:
“Today is your lucky day! Anyone who would like a hook that has changed my life and turned my dependence into independence—can have one! We will make those available to you.”
And just like that, the room lit up.
There was a stir. A line began forming. The MC had to pause everything to let the remaining presenters speak—but it didn’t matter. From that moment on, people started calling me and my husband Patrick the “Hook Team.” Every hour, someone would stop us to ask about the hook, about how it worked, how they could get one, and what it could do for their life.
This hook—originally a tool used by windshield repair shops—is what I use every day to get dressed, by myself. I suction it to the wall, hang my clothes, and step into them. It’s simple. But sometimes, the smallest tools make the biggest impact.
Months before the conference, I had worked with the amazing team at Special Needs Solutions in Tucson to create and test five different prototypes of the dressing hook. We drop-tested them. We tested them with real clothes. We re-engineered it until it not only helped with dressing—but also released easily from the wall. It’s amazing what determination and a little creative problem-solving can do.
One testimonial in particular, from a grateful parent, reminded me why we do what we do. That single moment—seeing someone else’s independence come alive—was priceless. It brought my story full circle.
When I was a little girl, I used to ask, “Why me?” Why was I different? Why didn’t I have arms like everyone else?
But over time, and through a lot of self-discovery, I came to embrace who I am—not in spite of my difference, but because of it.
Back then, my hook helped me claim my independence. Today, I get to give that back to others. And there is no greater gift than that.
We often think of change as something big and scary. But change sometimes starts with something small—like a hook on the wall.
We’re not done. Not even close. My team and I are committed to continuing this effort—to getting hooks into the hands (or onto the walls!) of people who need them, whether they were born without arms or lost them later in life.
Together, we can create a world where no one feels like they’re doing this alone.
If you or someone you know could benefit from the dressing hook, or would like to support this initiative, you can make a donation at Rightfooted.org. We’re building something bigger than just a tool—we’re building a movement of possibility.
Thank you, Skills for Life, for another unforgettable experience. Thank you to every parent, every child, every adult who showed up, opened up, and believed again in what’s possible.
