Hi, my name is Marie Palmeri. I was born in Ho Chi Minh City (previously Saigon), Vietnam, but I consider the Philippines as my hometown because I lived there since I was a toddler all the way through my High School graduation. My adopted parents are Tom (hoping he is resting peacefully) and Diane Palmeri who presently run an organization called Family to Family (http://family2family.org). I am the third of eight (2 biological and 6 adopted) children. In short, I am ethnically Vietnamese with American parents and I speak English and Cebuano (a language which is spoken in the Philippines).

Being born with no hands, I have had to adjust to life’s demands with one finger and ten toes. Many things around me were made to be used with hands and going through a day can be quite frustrating. But it does not end for me there—no way! If there was one thing I learned from living then and now, it is that everything is possible if you put your heart, body, and mind into it—perseverance, patience (lots of it!), and yes, the warm support of family and friends are all crucial toward achieving success. I may not be a very strong person as most of you are, but I became who I am today because I have faith in myself, strive, and surround myself with people I deeply care about and vice-versa. Success and the reality of dreams follow what you put into it. I go about my day with the acceptance that everything around me is just the way it is (life can be unfair and is not perfect) and at the end of the day, I count my blessings and give thanks to HIM for all that I am, what I have been able to do, and what I already have. The joys of life do not happen not only from what happened in the past but how you will respond when the future comes as well. The only thing you can do about it at this very moment is to aim high and do the best that you can!

I am on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/footsylady.