ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - March 16, 2016 is a day that Julianna Linton will always remember. Limbitless Solutions fitted the young cheerleader from Houston with a 3-D printed bionic arm at the UCF College of Engineering Innovation Lab.
What Julianna did not know is the impact and inspiration that she would have on the people that helped make that special day happen.
Julianna being fitted with a bionic arm."Seeing Julianna being so successful and excited by having her arm was really moving," Limbitless Solutions Executive Director Albert Manero recalled. "She was already a competitive cheerleader, so she went out on the field with the UCF Cheerleading team and fit right in."
After learning about the functions of her arm, the UCF cheerleading team made Julianna an honorary member of its squad that afternoon and provided her with a custom-made black uniform trimmed in gold. She will wear it again Saturday when the UCF football team visits her hometown of Houston.
"Julianna's excited to see some of her cheer friends and meet some new ones," her father Clark Linton said "It's a great opportunity to see the UCF Cheerleaders in action, doing what they do best!"
During her family's visit to Orlando back in March, Julianna toured the campus, while stunting along the way, before taking the field at Bright House Networks Stadium with her new teammates.
Albert Manero high fives Julianna at BHNS.
"We were able to see her in her natural environment, doing what she loves to do," senior cheerleader Stephen Hood said. "Not having a hand is a huge crutch, most people would think, in tumbling. She has been able to overcome that and achieve an incredible ability level, because of her hard work."
Julianna tumbled and showed off her skills with confidence and a contagious smile. The Knights showed her some techniques and assisted in her first-ever coed stunting.
"It was awesome that we were able to introduce that to her and provide some tips and pointers that she was able to implement to improve her stunting skills," senior cheerleader Mia Saragusa said.
Since meeting her last spring, the Knights have stayed in contact with her, even sending Happy Birthday videos and sharing skills that have been learned. Junior Jay Hollman struck a deeper connection with her and has weekly conversations via text messages and FaceTime.
Jay Hollman stunting over Julianna.
"Whenever I am learning a new skill, I always send her a video to tell her that she is the one that inspires me," Hollman acknowledged.
One of the moves that Julianna learned over the summer – an aerial – was one that Hollman had not mastered, yet. He made it his goal to conquer the move and shared his success with her and his teammates.
"Seeing what Julianna has accomplished is the driving factor that you can do anything that you put your mind to," Saragusa added. "Not just cheerleaders, but anybody. No matter the limitations that you are given, you can achieve anything that you want to."
The team at Limbitless Solutions realized early in the process that creating an arm for a competitive cheerleader was going to be a challenge in itself.
"We knew that the first thing that she would do – and she did it – was to do cartwheels," Manero said. "She did them up and down Main Street, U.S.A., at her visit to the Magic Kingdom."
The Linton family with members of the UCF cheerleading team.
The arm held up under that first test due to a new design method. Vertical handstands by full-size adults were a part of the testing process to ensure that the equipment would be rugged enough for Julianna.
"She really believes that she can do anything," Manero added. "One of the first things she attempted to do upon returning home was jumping rope with two hands – that wasn't immediately successful."
The Limbitless Solutions staff taught her parents, Clark and Kathleen Linton, to restring the fingers and strengthen their connection.
Limbitless Solutions being recognized at the UCF IGNITE Gala.
"Parental involvement is absolutely key and her parents have really been phenomenal," Manero said. "We are in contact with them every week or two and send them videos, showing them how to fix things."
Julianna was invited to the UCF IGNITE Gala on Sept. 16, an event that celebrated Limbitless Solutions and its philanthropic mission of providing bionic arms to children. For the first time, the on-campus lab united eight of the recipients together, and the group bonded in the mere hours.
"It's an honor to be a part of the Limbitless Solutions family, and seeing all the kids come together on stage at the IGNITE gala was an unforgettable experience," Kathleen Linton said, "We are so thankful for the work that the Limbitless Solutions team has done to help these kids, and the team truly deserved all of the recognition and accolades that they received. They don't just print 3D arms, they change lives."
Eight children with bionic arms come together at the Innovation Lab.
That day, each arm's equipment was updated, allowing Julianna more strength and power. And of course, the UCF Cheerleaders and Knightro dropped in to say hello.
When the Knights football team takes the field at Houston on Saturday, Julianna will be in her UCF uniform, cheering on the school that changed her life. She is hopeful to meet one of her heroes, Shaquem Griffin, who has overcome playing with one hand, and is now one of the top defensive players in the American Athletic Conference.
"I know that Julianna will be out there cheering for Shaquem," Manero concluded. "It is such a cool thing, because here at UCF you are remembered for your ability and your heart. That kind of tenacity is what makes Julianna an absolute perfect example of a UCF Knight."