A girl without legs sets a world record on a skateboard (8 photos + 1 video)
Kanya Sesser was born without legs and abandoned by her parents on the side of the road. She was found by a woman walking past a Buddhist temple school and taken to the hospital. She lived there for five years until she was adopted by an American family. 
Kanya Sesser, 31, from Portland, Oregon, set a world record for the longest handstand on a skateboard. Her result was 19.65 seconds. This achievement, recorded in Los Angeles, will be included in the 2025 edition of the KRG.
What makes this record special is that it was set by an athlete who was born without legs.
"No legs, no limitations. I think this is one of the moments that changed my career. It's incredible for me to make history that others will see. I've influenced other people for generations to come," the record holder said.
Sesser was born in 1992 with no legs at birth. She was found on the side of the road as a baby and brought to the hospital by a woman passing by a Buddhist temple school in Pak Chong, Thailand. She heard the baby's cries, and this saved her life. Kanya was immediately taken to the hospital, where a nurse (affectionately known as "Nurse May Chan") and staff cared for her until 1998. 
At the age of five, Kanya was adopted by an American family. Her adoptive parents, Jane and Dave, had two older sons. They brought the girl to Portland, where she was raised as a normal child.
"The ones who played the most important role in my life were my mother Jane and all the Thai nurses who helped me grow into a strong and independent woman. But I also felt like it was genetics that made me who I am today! Sometimes it's just in your soul and blood, but others help you become who you are today," she admitted.
According to Sesser, the language barrier and webbed fingers, for which she underwent "several surgeries," were obstacles and challenges during her childhood. Looking back, Kanya remembers herself as a "wild child": outgoing and determined, she quickly surrounded herself with friends, loved to play with her neighborhood friends, and joined a cheerleading squad before her freshman year of high school. It was there that she got her first modeling experience. 
She also participated in a variety of sports, including wheelchair racing, wheelchair rugby, swimming, and sled hockey, among others. She eventually tried skateboarding and instantly fell in love with the sport.
"My first attempt was skating down a hill near my house, and it was the best feeling of my life. From that day on, I asked my mom for a skateboard," Sesser told Guinness World Records.
She then began going to a local skate park to pursue her newfound passion, as well as excel in track and field. 
"I first started in Paralympic athletics as a T54 athlete in wheelchair sprint racing, where I had my own wheelchair specifically designed for the track. "I was the third fastest woman in the world and qualified for the World Cup in Switzerland in 2012 and got an All-Star medal," she recalls.
Kanya later earned invites to the X Games in 2019 and the Dew Tour in 2022, where she placed second in women's street adaptive skateboarding.
"I have connections with other skaters, adaptive competitions, and athletes that I can skate with, but I can also create a great community so that we can keep adaptive skating alive for generations," Sesser said of the skater community.
In addition to the sport, the record-breaking actress is interested in acting and dreams of pursuing a career in that direction. She has already appeared in music videos and starred in famous films and TV shows, such as the 2022 film "Babel" and the acclaimed series "The Walking Dead." She can also be seen as a guest star in the American action film "Hawaii Five-0" as surfer Rosie Valera.
She is also a pioneer for a more inclusive fashion industry and has modeled for brands like Abercrombie and Fitch, Sephora, Sweaty Betty, and Adidas Skateboard. Kanya made her official runway debut during the Victoria's Secret Runway for NYFW 2023.
A congenital pathology did not prevent the girl from becoming happy. She has been dating skateboarder Chad Fenlon for over a year.
Looking back on her life, Kanya told Guiness World Records that it's important to her to be a role model for everyone.
"Just know that you're not the only one who's insecure. Even the ones who seem perfect aren't. Nobody's perfect, and we all have our insecurities," the record holder emphasized.
