.
November 18th, 2008
10:13 PM ET
Footless Karate Kid
Five staff members here at CNN Student News have at least one thing in common: We all took karate when we were kids. And we all achieved different belts: yellow, orange, blue, brown, black... You name it; one of us had it.
So what was amazing to us about the girl in Wednesday's program was that she was missing parts of her feet - but that she'd gone farther in karate than ANY of us had! Her second-degree black belt was a beautiful testament to success despite the odds.
Carl Azuz, Anchor
This girl has some determination!! No matter what life throws at her she will conquer it.
I hope I can learn karate!!
U go girl!!!
That is pretty amazing. I wouldent want to mess around with her in a fight though.
Wow.
Even with two feet I would'nt be able to do that.
oops sorry
i meant wouldn't
shes a beast that right a plan beast in a good way thats cool i wish i knew how to do karate
I think that is pretty cool. it would be hard to get a black belt with no feet. I think she accomplished something great.
This girl is amazing she can do karate with no feet that is just so cool and i'm very glade that she did this story because i want to do karate now!
🙂
We think that it's remarkable that she can perservere through her disability and earn a second degree black belt. She's also inspirational to people with disabailiites, showing EVERYONE that you can achieve anything if you put your mind to it.
"You go girl!" -Tori
"You rock my sox!" -Ryan
"She's an inspiration." -Krista
I think it is cool how this girl can do karate without her feet. She should just keep following her dreams, and she'll be very good, like she already is but more advanced.
I think that is awesome and I know if I was disabled like her then I would love a hobby. My hobby is bowling. I know if I had no fingers, then I would find a way of overcoming adversity and shooting for my dream.
I think that is cool. It would make me feel normal and that I was like every other people if I was her. I wouldn't want to get in a challenge with her I would be down the moment we started.
What was amazing about the girl is that she is a second degree black belt, and she is missing part of her feet! I don't like karate very much, but that was interesting.
I think it is really cool thing that a girl without any full feet , is very successful in karate and not very many people could go as far as her.
That is amazing. Know one would ever think that a girl that was missing parts of her feet would get a second-degree black belt. It's hard to get a second-degree black belt in karate with feet let alone without feet.
It would be really cool to be able to do karate. But being able to do karate with no feet that is just awesome
This girl has made an great accomplishment for herself and others. She has probably made herself a ro- model to others by letting them know that even though you are disabled or have a disorder you can still if you try it accomplish whatever you want to do. I myself wouldn't be able to with 2 feet because I am very clumsy, not aggressive, and don't have that much courage to try something like that.
This girl has lots of determination!!!!!!!!! She deserved the belts. If I was interested in karate I would defiantly have a hard time trying to learn it and she did it with no feet. She defiantly has potential.
We think that Kate's awesome. We are very inspired by her ability to do so well in karate with her disabilty.
Kate, you're the bomb! *tick, tick*
I think that this teenager is remarkable! She has done something I would have think impossible. That she could do karate without parts of feet was amazing but what was just out of this world is that she has gotten to her 2nd degree black belt!!!!!!!!!! I am just blown away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I agree with Oscar I want to do Karate now too!
NO MATTER IF YOU HAVE FEET OR NOT YOU CAN STILL ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING JUST AS WELL AS ANYONE ELSE CAN.
I think she is awesome if i even knew karate that would be awesome, but she knows karate with no feet that is so cool. so goes to show that even the most physically challanged person can do everything and more.
This is just another example that, even if you're handicapped or an amputee, you can still do anything if you set you're mind to it. Like once a man in a wheelchair climbed hundreds of stairs while still in his wheelchair. Never let anyone put you down because you're different. This girl has probably inspired thousands of handicapped people throughout the nation. Kudos to you, 2nd degree black belt.
She is one tough teen. She has no feet and she can do karate. That's awesome but she is good.
She is amazing. It was really cool to see someone do something like that without feet! U go girl!
After seeing this girl doing karate w/ no feet it makes me confadent that I can join balet and be successful.!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I tought that all the show was cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is a great story.
Spirit is greater than body.
Body can always be changed by various environments.
But the spirit is always twinkling, strong and forever.
I think we need to respect it more than we do now.
wow she rocks my socks off
I think that just because you have a disfunction such as no feet; that you should still try your best and do whatever you believe you can do and stick with it
never let anything stop you! no matter what you do!
This girl can accomplish a big thing that is very challenging to do. I know this because I do karate too.And doing that with no feet, is just amazing!
I learn karate, too.
third degree in black belt.
Just in case you want to know, I'm 13 in Korean age.
I am a Korean and live here. That's why I could achieve this state.
Oops.
I live in Korea...haha
My thought for that was like that anybody can do it if they put their mind to it but it looks like she did what she wanted and thats all that matters.
thats cool
WOW. That is awesome. I think about more than half of karate uses your feet. If you can get a second-degree black belt without a foot or something is crazy awesome.
I think that's really cool, my only question is does she have some kind of shoe to wear?
thats freaking crazy!!! good job! if you want to do something than do. this is a perfect example
I think if she puts her mind to it, she can accomplish more than what she can ever imagine. I loved this because it showed me that kids don't always give up, and that there is hope.
Awesome! My feet are perfectly fine and i only got a white belt with a purple stripe on it! I keep in my dresser, its one of my treasured items to have some education in martial arts.......(although im to scared to us it im always bullied and picked on at school)ill try my best to use it!
thats amazing i paralized on one leg so i hope i can achive her achivement go girl you roc !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ps im in karate also
GO GIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRL?
i think that, that is a real tallent and that it proves that if you put your mind to something you can always acomplish it. it is cool how she never gives up and at first i thought "this must be a scam because this girl could never do that" but i geuss that i was wrong. and believe me that rarely happens!!!!!
I admire her. She is what most people might need. I know she must be struggling, but she has determination like a tiger. Karate might be what people need to get going, and if not karate something at least motivating. 🙂
That's just astounding that she can do that. If I had the problems she has, I would probably go straight to school and back home. My favorite sport is basketball, and if I had what she had I wouldn't be able to play. That would take a HUGE part out of my life.
I am soooooo inspired now i want to sign up for karate!!!! She is so determined! She is one of my heroes (second to my mom) (she told me to say that):):):):)
Wow that girl is a very determined and headstrong girl.
Wow that is cool the you can do karate with out feet.
The girl has no feet and she was great at karate – she is wonderful.
I cannot believe that the girl has no feet! She has determination. Wow I cannot believe it! She can do Karate with no feet. That’s amazing! Even though she has no feet she is confident that she can do it!
omg no way
wow......that would be pretty weird. That would be very hard. And that's quite an acomplishment to have a 2nd degree black belt.
Sweet!!!!!!!!!!! I could never do that with parts missing on my foot and get a black belt level 2! keep on rocking girl keep kickin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think that it show alot of bravery and courage. I also think it show that you really can do anything if you put your mind to it. I think tis is another of many more too come insporational storyies.
It is so cool that she can achieve more without feet.
your show is so awesome and there is so crazy stuff that i wouldnt believe! keep it up cuz its baggin!
i think that that is good that she is actually trying to stuff and not just sitting at her house and watching television and not caring about her life.
I think this girl is AMAZING!!!!!! I can't believe she doesn't have any feet. It's so cool that she has no feet AND a SECOND degree black belt.
i think that it is pretty cool that she has enough inspiration to keep on going even though she does not have a leg. I also think that it is good for others because she shows that her and anyone else can do what ever they want if there think they can
Thats really cool that even if your missing part of your body, you can still do the unbelievable. I would have never thought that a GIRL with no FOOT would be one of the best people at karate. That proves that everyone is equal in their own way, and everyone can accomplish their goal if they try.
That's so cool. I kind of feel sorry for her. I could never do karate like that. I would die!
I think that having no feet would suck but it would be cool at the same time cause it seems like you can do more things and you don't have to wash your feet.
I am glad to see some kids still trying. Most kids just sit on couch and watch T.V. That girl has no feet and she does more athletic than over half of the kids in the world. I hope seeing that video will inspire some kids to get up and off that couch and go do something.
I think it is really cool that she can do karate with out feet I shows that you can do anything
I think that Kate's story is very inspiring. Kate Wilmarth has earned a second-degree black belt in karate, and she's only 14 years old. Not only has she accomplished this goal at such a young age she also did it without feet. She definitely is someone to look up to. She overcame her disability to become a master of karate.
I don’t think that parents should be aloud to just abandon their children even if they are special needs or they cant take care of them there is always other options there are people and facilities that specialize in helping special needs patients and if they just cant afford it or didn’t want a child in the first pace there are so many parent who would love to adopt kids its not rite. Step up and take responsibility for your actions.
I think that it is inspirational for others to see someone succeeding in an activity that takes a lot of endurance. I think that it was a nice story; I would like to see success stories about families’ not just individuals.
I think that’s a pretty big achievement coming from achieving my black belt as well. That’s a great accomplishment for someone like her and sets a great example.
I think it is awsome.It makes me wonder how you could karate without feet. That makes me want to do karate.
you can do any thing you put your mind to!:):)
Wow! this girl has talents!
I think it is great that those parent encouraged there child to do something different than other people.
it is pretty crazy that it has no foot whoooooooooooopppppppp that is really cool.
20% of the people who start get as far as a black belt. only 5% get as far her.
This story was really amazing. This girl just proved that nothing is impossible and she doesn't let anything slow her down. If anybody should be a hero, it should be her. She has my respect and encouragment to keep moving forward in her dreams and never let anything to stop her. Way to go!
I wonder how she broke the boards
U really are an inspiration to all those who do have the body part that you are missing a lot of people are ungrateful and it is a blessing to see that even though your missing something you don't let it hold you back!!!!!!!!!
Wow!! That girl is really special and has been blessed with a unique gift.
Hi my name is Daniel. The only reason I went to this blog is because I do karate. I am not as high in my belt as her though. But as my master said,You can put your mind to anything you want to. He also tells us to never quit. But the commas she used are one thing I fought with. She isn't the only one! I saw in the newspaper one day and saw a kid who could not move his legs and still usedthem!!!!!!!
wow this girl has a lot of motivation and she is very inspirational. I know that if i was in her position i would have gave up along time ago.