This mom and son don’t let being born without arms stop them from living life to the fullest. Linda Bannon, 35, and her 9-year-old son Timmy, both have Holt-Oram syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that results in abnormalities in the upper limbs and the heart. They were born without arms but are just like anyone else. They enjoy sports, cooking and go to work and school every day. Nothing is going to stop this mother and son from living normal and healthy lives.

In 2004, Linda married to Richard Bannon and the pair were soon expecting a child. Doctors warned them that there was a strong chance that any child of theirs could be born with Holt-Oram Syndrome, and were offered the chance to terminate. But they didn’t want to terminate their child. ‘It was never even a consideration,’ says Linda, ‘We wanted a family.’

Timmy was born without arms like his mum, but also with severe heart problems. He was rushed into surgery at only 8 days old and spent the first two months of his life in the intensive care unit. But now, 9-year-old Timmy Bannon confidently says, “I’m just like the other kids, I’m just like them.”

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Despite her situation, Linda insists that having no arms hasn’t affected her life much at all as she’s never known anything else. “It never really occurred to me growing up that I was that different from anyone else,” Linda says. It’s a sentiment that she has been careful to impart on her son. In the video, Linda can be seen helping Timmy get dressed, swimming with him and brushing her teeth alongside him.

Now, Timmy is a young sports star excelling in swimming and taekwondo. Linda is also studying to become a motivational speaker despite working through the day as a kindergarten teacher.

This mom is teaching her son one of life’s greatest lessons: No challenge is too large to overcome — especially when you’ve got a great support system by your side.