Richie Parker was born with amelia, an extremely rare birth defect that prohibits the growth of arms and/or legs; but he never let this keep him from pursuing his dreams. With the support of his parents and with his relationship with God, he was able to excel in life despite his condition. His parents made sure he lived a life just like other kids his age. He learned to write with his feet when they were learning to write with their hands. And when his friends started riding bikes, his dad modified a bike for him to ride right along with them.

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As a teenager, Richie took an interest in his dad’s hobby of working on cars. His dad would often let him jump in on projects, which sparked in Richie a passion for engineering that has carried him to the auto racing world. He worked at Hendrick Motorsports as a Vehicle Motor Engineer. In the video below, he talks about the struggles he had leaving his parents and becoming independent. But he mentions that these difficult times ended up bringing him closer to God. "This is the way God intended me to be," he said.

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Hear his story in the video below:

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