At the age of just nine, Jessy Hatch is competing in mini marathons – an impressive feat in itself – and even more so given that she is a double amputee.
Jessy’s legs had to be amputated when she was just 11-months-old, because of a genetic condition caused by her mother’s addiction to methamphetamine while pregnant.
The youngster was rescued by a SWAT team from the drug factory where she was kept. Her legs were severely deformed and shockingly, her eyes had been glued shut.
Despite this, Jessy, who has since been adopted and lives in Phoenix, Arizona, has become avidly sporty after receiving her first pair of carbon fibre bladed prosthetic legs and last month ran her first children's half marathon.
Her adoptive mother, Dawn Hatch, described how Jessy overcame her heartbreaking setbacks to achieve her goals.
Dawn explained how Jessy was unable to be fitted with the carbon fibre blades until October last year because she was simply too small to absorb enough calories for the strength to use them.
For years previously, Jessy had made do with ordinary prosthetics, which allowed her to walk but made participating in sports difficult.
Dawn said: “A double amputee exerts 250 per cent more energy when walking than we do. It took us nine years to get her healthy enough to wear these running legs.
"A little three or four-year-old can't take in the 2100 calories needed to walk on artificial legs.
“So Jessy had to have a feeding tube inserted into her stomach to help beef her up.
“We just took it out in June 2011. After that she could have her running legs as she'd built up enough muscle mass.”
Within months of receiving her new legs, plucky Jessy tackled her first challenge and took part in a one-mile Kids Rock run in Tempe, Arizona, the Daily Mail reported.
Jessyʼs contact with her biological family is almost non-existent - she has never met her mother, but she has visited her brother twice.
Despite the tragic story of her birth, Dawn is proud of her clever and determined daughter, Jessy.
“Intellectually, Jessy is brilliant - she's way ahead of other kids.” said Dawn.
“She has a strong will and she's resilient and smart.
“The prosthetic legs are very tiring and books can take her into these amazing worlds - but it doesn't physically exhaust her.”
Jessyʼs charity, called ʻJessy for Jeansʼ, collects unwanted jeans and other clothing for disadvantaged children.