PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

Good divers are always learning. And I really went back to school with Jessica cox, the young lady who flew in from Arizona ( using only her feet ) to take scuba training with Diveheart.

As a double amputee from birth Jessica has adapted very well to the not so accessible world around her. Her ease working with the scuba gear and in the water was matched only by her confidence and persistence as she embarked on every challenge with enthusiasm and a positive attitude.

I sat in amazement as she assembled disassembled and reassembled her scuba gear with her feet. Jessica is right footed and wanted to try to dive in openwater with no fins. She did so successfully and was able to flood and clear her mask as well as add air and dump air in her buoyancy compensator.

I feel so blessed to work with individuals like Jessica on a regular basis. It gives me the opportunity to realize that the possibilities are endless for those with disabilities. And as a TABI ( Temporarily Able Bodied Individual….thank you Ana ) I know that every day I wake up with all my faculties it is a gift that I must not take for granted.

Reach out to others and share Jessica’s story….you may touch their lives in a way you might not realize.

Jim Elliott
President of Diveheart

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Diveheart Newsflash Feature Story

Jessica Cox's Story

By Wendy Foster

She heard that scuba-diving was like flying only through the water. Jessica Cox, a 26-year old resident of Tucson, Arizona and an avid pilot, decided to check it out for herself. Jessica, who was born without arms, took her first dives with Diveheart, adding to her already long list of firsts. The professional motivational speaker is the first female American pilot to fly with her feet and the first person without arms in the American Tae Kwan Do Association to earn black belts (she has two).

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