You see Lilly was born with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita (AMC), a condition that meant no joints in Lilly’s lower body. Lilly used a wheelchair until the age of six. At that age, she watched a TV commercial that would change her life.
The commercial featured a man with a prosthetic leg – but, he was up and walking. That’s what Lilly wanted. Ultimately, Lilly convinced doctors to perform the surgery that would enable her to have prosthetic legs. To test the concept and gain mother approval, she asked that a Barbie doll’s legs be removed from the knees below. The result satisfied both Lilly and her mother. The surgery was a success.
Regained Mobility
After the fire, the Hanger Clinic in San Francisco outfitted her with a new pair of prosthetic legs which gave Lilly even more mobility. With her increased mobility, Lilly has even learned how to snowboard. Her family relocated to Arlington, Texas, where Lilly attends St. Joseph Catholic School.
A Globetrotter Visit
After meeting Harlem Globetrotters’ Zeus McClurkin at a game previously, Zeus decided to make a stop at Lilly’s school to visit her. When a Globetrotter comes to your school, you show him to the gymnasium where the basketball goals and balls call home. And, oh by the way, Zeus set a Guinness World Record for most basketball slam dunks in one minute with 16 slams!
Because Lilly didn’t have the upper body strength to make a shot on a 10-foot hoop, Zeus taught her an old Globetrotter technique – bouncing the ball to reach the basket. Well, the result in the video speaks for itself. You can tell from Lilly’s smile that making her first basket was a big deal!
This isn’t Lilly’s first taste of video stardom. After the fire, she was invited on the Ellen DeGeneres show where Ellen awarded her and her family a new car to replace the one burned down in the fire. And, some presents were part of the gift as well. |
