My Name Is Sano, Ami Sano

Meet Ami Sano…truly a great inspiration.

The 21-year-old Japanese girl was born in Aichi, Japan, without any arms and only one partially formed left foot with three toes which she uses to get by in her everyday life. She is determined to lead a normal life, refusing to look down on her handicapped body as an obstacle. Her passions are cheerleading and writing. Her joyful disposition is truly an inspiration.

Ami Sano

Now an office worker and motivational speaker, she was part of a cheerleading club at Toyokawa High School in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. She also works as an assistant at a local FM radio station and speaks at lectures. Filled with happiness and gratitude to be alive, she appreciates everything and everyone around her – immensely.

In the autumn of 2009, Sano published a memoir titled “Teashi-no-nai Cheerleader” (cheerleader without limbs) and released a poetry book titled “Akiramenaide” (don’t give up) in autumn last year.

She is  taking voice training lessons twice a week as she hopes to use her voice in a job as a professional narrator or MC in the future.

Ami Sano....limbless Japanese girl

“I want to climb the staircase of adulthood, step by step,” a smiling Sano said. Her mother, Hatsumi, said, “We had some difficult times, but I believe those experiences helped my daughter become a person with a kind heart. Twenty years sounds long, but it went by in a flash.”

Sano has just released an album with a music video. Her popularity has somewhat gained the interest of more people wanting to know more about the life of a young adult who had such a difficult time dealing with the social norms.

How Sano lives her life really teaches us lessons about living.  Though without limbs, she seems to have taken a hold of the whole world, living without complaints or making excuses about her situations.

Watch her music video below and be inspired: