Remi has what’s called a limb difference. That term is used to describe people who might be missing all or part of an arm or a leg. Each year, about 1 in every 2,100 babies in the U.S. is born with a limb difference, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

For Remi, having a limb difference made it difficult to be independent. But that wasn’t the biggest challenge.

“The hardest part is that people sometimes bully you,” Remi explains. “You want to fit in, but people won’t let you.” 

Remi has what’s called a limb difference. People with a limb difference might be missing all or part of an arm or a leg. Each year, about 1 in every 2,100 babies in the U.S. is born with a limb difference. That’s according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

For Remi, having a limb difference made it hard to be independent. But that wasn’t the biggest challenge.  

“The hardest part is that people sometimes bully you,” Remi explains. “You want to fit in, but people won’t let you.”

Remi’s parents knew a better prosthetic arm would boost her confidence. The family visited Open Bionics, the company that makes the Hero Arm, last fall. 

The arm is created with a 3-D printer. It has sensors that detect movements in the muscles in Remi’s left arm. With just one flex, Remi could move the wrist on the robotic hand, wave, or give a thumbs-up. After trying out the Hero Arm, Remi didn’t want to take it off.

“I felt like a cyborg: half robot, half human!” she says. 

There was one problem though. The Hero Arm would cost Remi’s family about $24,000, which they couldn’t afford. Remi was crushed.

“I thought, ‘Everyone around me has two hands. Why can’t I have another one?’” she says. 

Remi’s parents knew a better prosthetic arm would boost her confidence. Last fall, the family visited Open Bionics. That’s the company that makes the Hero Arm.  

The arm is created with a 3-D printer, and it has sensors. They detect movements in the muscles in Remi’s left arm. With one flex, Remi could move the wrist on the robotic hand. She could also wave or give a thumbs-up. After trying out the Hero Arm, Remi didn’t want to take it off.

“I felt like a cyborg: half robot, half human!” she says. 

There was one problem. The Hero Arm would cost about $24,000, which Remi’s family couldn’t afford. Remi was crushed.

“I thought, ‘Everyone around me has two hands. Why can’t I have another one?’” she says.

In December 2024, Remi’s family shared their story on GoFundMe, a fundraising website. Donations started to pour in, mostly from strangers. Within only a few days, Remi had passed her goal of $24,000. Soon more good news followed: A businessman offered to cover the full cost of Remi’s Hero Arm. 

What would the Batemans do with all the donations? For Remi, the decision was easy. She knew there were other kids with limb differences whose families couldn’t afford a Hero Arm. Though Remi had never met any of them, she wanted to pay for their robotic arms.

“I know how it feels to have one arm,” she says. “These kids might have been getting picked on at school or feeling left out.”

Remi’s family updated their GoFundMe page, explaining their plan to use the money to help other kids. Before long, even more donations came in. 

In total, the Batemans raised more than $50,000. They helped pay for Hero Arms for three other kids—from Maryland, Florida, and even Peru, a country in South America. 

Remi hopes to help change the lives of more kids with limb differences in the future. In the meantime, she wants all kids to embrace who they are.

“Continue being yourself!” Remi says. 

In December 2024, Remi’s family shared their story on GoFundMe. That’s a fundraising website. Donations started to pour in, mostly from strangers. Within a few days, Remi had passed her goal of $24,000. Soon more good news followed. A businessman offered to cover the full cost of Remi’s Hero Arm. 

What would the Batemans do with all the donations? For Remi, the decision was easy. There were other kids with limb differences, and their families couldn’t afford a Hero Arm. Remi had never met any of them. But she wanted to pay for their robotic arms.

“I know how it feels to have one arm,” says Remi. “These kids might have been getting picked on at school or feeling left out.”

Remi’s family updated their GoFundMe page. They explained their plan to use the money to help other kids. Before long, even more donations came in. 

In total, the Batemans raised more than $50,000. They helped pay for Hero Arms for three other kids. The kids were from Maryland, Florida, and even Peru, a country in South America.   

Remi hopes to help more kids with limb differences someday. In the meantime, she wants all kids to embrace who they are.

“Continue being yourself!” Remi says.

1. What are some of the challenges Remi Bateman has faced as a person with a limb difference?

2. According to the article, how does the Hero Arm compare with Remi’s old prosthetic arm?

3. Summarize the main ideas of the section “Spreading Kindness.”

1. What are some of the challenges Remi Bateman has faced as a person with a limb difference?

2. According to the article, how does the Hero Arm compare with Remi’s old prosthetic arm?

3. Summarize the main ideas of the section “Spreading Kindness.”