In 2012, 24-year-old Aimee Copeland, a grad student at the University of Georgia, joined friends for a ziplining trip at a small lake. What was meant to be a fun day turned tragic when the zipline snapped, causing Aimee to fall and suffer a severe leg injury.
At the hospital, doctors discovered her wound was infected with Aeromonas hydrophila, a flesh-eating bacteria that led to necrotizing fasciitis. After 11 surgeries, Aimee survived—but lost both her hands and legs.
Despite the unimaginable ordeal, Aimee rebuilt her life. Four years later, a photo of her proudly wearing a bikini on the beach went viral. She wrote, “It’s taken me a long time to accept my new body. We are all made with imperfections—our scars build character. It’s not what you have, but what you do with it that counts.”
Today, Aimee is an advocate for amputee and disability rights and is pursuing a PhD in psychology at the University of West Georgia. Her courage and positivity continue to inspire thousands around the world.
