BARBIE’S STORY:
MANY TIMES PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO ASK, BUT EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW...HOW
DID I LOSE MY ARMS?
WHEN I WAS 2 ½ YEARS OLD, I LIVED IN AN APARTMENT COMPLEX IN
PASADENA, TX. I WAS OUTSIDE PLAYING WITH SEVERAL OTHER CHILDREN, AND
BEING A TYPICAL 2 YR OLD, I WAS IN AND OUT OF THE APARTMENT A THOUSAND
TIMES. WHILE I WAS OUTSIDE, I DID SOMETHING THAT WOULD CHANGE MY LIFE
IN AN INSTANT. I CLIMBED UP ON A TRANSFORMER. FOR ANYONE WHO IS NOT
SURE WHAT A TRANSFORMER IS, IT IS ONE OF THOSE BIG GREEN ELECTRICAL
BOXES THAT YOU MIGHT SEE OUTSIDE YOUR HOUSE - ONLY THIS ONE WAS MUCH
BIGGER. AS I CLIMBED UP, I GRABBED ONTO THE WIRES.
ELECTRICITY 101: WHEN ELECTRICITY ENTERS A BODY, IT HAS TO HAVE AN ENTRY
POINT AS WELL AS AN EXIT POINT. IT ENTERED THROUGH BOTH OF MY HANDS,
TRAVELED THROUGH MY LITTLE BODY, AND EXITED THROUGH BOTH OF MY LEGS.
THAT IS WHY THERE ARE BURNS/SCARS ON BOTH OF MY LEGS. MY ARMS WERE
BURNED ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO THE BONE. THEY WERE LIKE CHARCOAL. THEY
WERE COMPLETELY DEAD AND HAD TO BE AMPUTATED AT THE SHOULDERS. I NOW
HAVE A SHOULDER ON MY RIGHT SIDE, WHICH I USE FOR MANY THINGS, AND NOT
MUCH ON THE LEFT SIDE. MY KIDS CALL THESE MY “NUBS”.
THE DOCTORS SAID THAT I PROBABLY WOULD NOT LIVE. THEY SAID IF I DID
LIVE I WOULD BE A VEGETABLE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. MY PARENTS DID NOT
WANT THAT FOR ME. MY MOM PRAYED THAT IF I HAD TO LIVE AS A VEGETABLE,
THAT GOD WOULD JUST TAKE ME. SHE ALSO MADE A PROMISE TO GOD THAT DAY-
IF HE LET ME LIVE, SHE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT I BECAME “SOMEBODY.”
THE DOCTORS WERE BOGGLED BY MY RECOVERY. THEY DECIDED I MUST HAVE
SURVIVED BECAUSE OF THE RUBBER SOLES ON MY TENNIS SHOES. TRUE, THEY MAY
HAVE PLAYED THEIR PART, BUT I BELIEVE I SURVIVED BECAUSE GOD SAW THE
BIGGER PICTURE AND HAD PLANS FOR ME!
MY PARENTS DID NOT HAVE A CLUE HOW I WAS GOING TO GET THROUGH LIFE
WITH NO ARMS. THEN ONE DAY, MY MOM CAME INTO MY HOSPITAL ROOM. AS I LAY
IN MY HOSPITAL BED, SURROUNDED BY ALL OF MY STUFFED ANIMALS, I REACHED
OUT MY LEGS TO GIVE HER A HUG- IT WAS AT THAT MOMENT THAT SHE REALIZED I
WOULD USE MY LEGS AND FEET.
FOR A LONG TIME, WE STRUGGLED-MAINLY BECAUSE I WAS SO STUBBORN.
WHAT CAN I SAY? SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE! SHE MADE ME LEARN HOW TO DO
THINGS FOR MYSELF. SHE HELPED AND GUIDED ME ALONG THE WAY, BUT SHE WAS
DETERMINED FOR ME TO BE INDEPENDENT AND SELF-RELIANT. I DIDN’T ALWAYS
LIKE HER FOR THAT. NOW, I AM EXTREMELY GRATEFUL!
NOW THAT I HAVE KIDS OF MY OWN, I CANNOT EVEN IMAGINE HOW
DIFFICULT THAT MUST HAVE BEEN FOR HER. I’M NOT SO SURE THAT I COULD
HAVE BEEN HALF AS STRONG AS SHE WAS IF I WAS IN HER SHOES.
I ALSO CANNOT GO WITHOUT SAYING HOW SPECIAL MY DAD IS TO ME. YES,
MY MOM WAS THE ONE WHO MADE ME SUCH AN INDEPENDENT WOMAN, BUT MY DAD HAS
ALWAYS BEEN THERE FOR ME, TOO. ALTHOUGH HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN SLIGHTLY
OVER-PROTECTIVE OF ME- AND THAT’S PUTTING IT MILDLY- HE IS ALSO A HUGE
SUPPORT TO ME. HE UNDOUBTEDLY HAS MORE CONFIDENCE IN ME THAN ANYONE! I
STILL LOOK UP TO HIM AS A FATHER, BUT HE IS ALSO ONE OF MY CLOSEST
FRIENDS. I WILL ALWAYS BE “DADDY’S LITTLE GIRL!”
I BELIEVE GOD HAD A PLAN FOR ME. I AM HERE TO SERVE A PURPOSE. I
BELIEVE I AM HERE ON EARTH TO BE AN EXAMPLE AND AN INSPIRATION. I’VE
BEEN TOLD THAT I TOUCH PEOPLE’S LIVES WITHOUT EVEN REALIZING IT - JUST
BY LIVING MY LIFE THE WAY I DO.
I DO BELIEVE GOD ALLOWED THIS TO HAPPEN FOR A REASON, AND HE
HAD A PLAN IN STORE FOR ME. HE LET ME LIVE, MY MOM HELD UP HER END OF
THE BARGAIN, AND THE REST IS UP TO ME! ALL I CAN SAY IS I’LL DO MY
BEST! I HOPE I WILL REACH MANY PEOPLE IN MY LIFETIME. PERHAPS I’VE
ALREADY REACHED YOU.

ABOUT BARBIE:
Just the basic stuff:
BIRTHDAY: AUG. 5, 1976 (YES, I LIKE B-DAY CARDS!)
AGE: YOU DO THE MATH
HEIGHT: 5'6 ½" OR 5'7" ON A GOOD DAY
EYES: GREEN
HAIR: CONSTANTLY CHANGING- right now it’s super short and dark w/red
highlights
WEIGHT: IT VARIES -112 -125 lbs depending on if its on or off season
WHERE I WAS BORN: NEW YORK STATE
WHERE I WAS RAISED: TEXAS, Y’ALL!
WHERE I LIVE NOW: TEXAS...AGAIN!!!
MARITAL STATUS: ENGAGED!!
CHILDREN: 2 BOYS(OF MY OWN) AND 2 ACQUIRED GIRLS
SIBLINGS: 2 BROS. I’M THE OLDEST AND THE PRETTIEST!
FAVORITE COLOR: PURPLE
FAVORITE BOOK: I DON’T HAVE ONE. I MOSTLY READ MAGAZINES. I’M A
MAGAZINE JUNKIE.
Fun factoids:
WHAT I DRIVE: A CHEVY TAHOE ON A 6" LIFT, 18" WHEELS AND 35" TIRES AND
LICENCE PLATE THAT READS”UNARMD” GET IT? LIKE ME...AND MY WEB SITE. OK,
MOVING ON...
WHAT I LIKE TO DO: SHOPPING, DANCING, SINGING KAREOKE, SHOPPING,
SWIMMING, PLAYING WITH THE KIDS
TALKING ON THE PHONE, EATING, SHOPPING, AND OH YA - WORKING OUT!
PIERCINGS: MY EAR LOBES, NOSE, AND BELLY BUTTON
TATTOOS: 10 TOTAL...PLUS EYELINER AND LIPS(IT’S CALLED PERMANENT
MAKE-UP)
JUST FOR FUN: I ALWAYS SNORT WHEN I LAUGH.
I HAVE A MAJOR SHOE FETISH! I HAVE 90 SOMETHING PAIRS!
YOU WOULD NEVER BELIEVE IT UNLESS YOU SAW IT: I’M A DARN GOOD MECHANICAL
BULL RIDER! YEE-HAW!

Food Facts:
FAVORITE FOODS: ON-SEASON: EGG WHITES INTERNATIONAL, MIXTURE OF DRY
OATMEAL AND PROTEIN POWDER AND SPLENDA(SOMETIMES CINNAMON)AND PB IN THE
OFF-SEASON MIXED WITH ABOUT 4-5 OZ. OF COLD H2O.
OFF-SEASON: PEANUT BUTTER, BABY! PIZZA AND MCDONALD’S CHEESEBURGERS,
ANYTHING SWEET, STEAK, AND PEANUT BUTTER.