Many people would give up and put their lives on hold if they lost a limb, but not Manami Ito. In 2004, she lost her right arm in a car accident, but she hasn’t slowed down a single day since.

The 33-year-old has accomplished more than most able-bodied people would. After the accident, she continued her studies to become a certified nurse, but that isn’t all.

When Manami went to pick up her very first prosthetic arm, she saw something in another room that inspired her. Other amputees were playing basketball. She decided right there that if they could do it, there was no reason she couldn’t participate in sports too.

So, in 2007, Manami took up swimming and by 2008 she had earned fourth place in the Paralympics in Beijing. She went on to place eighth in the 2012 London Paralympics.

As if those accomplishments weren’t enough, Manami decided to give learning violin a try too. She’s now Japan’s only one-armed violinist and is touring the country giving concerts.

She began playing with a more traditional prosthetic, but two years ago she received a new one specially designed to be light-weight, yet functional. In the video below she’s giving it a test at a local mall.

Check out the video below, and if that’s not enough to inspire amputees to achieve their dreams, we’re not sure anything will. Be sure to share this inspiring woman’s accomplishments with your family and friends.

https://youtu.be/CaXxh_KoC_w