After a traumatic accident at age 2, Presley June is now competing in gymnastics, and inspiring millions with her determination
NEED TO KNOW
- Presley June, a 6-year-old triple amputee, has adapted gymnastics techniques with her coach to fit her unique abilities
- She has already qualified for state and regional competitions and often competes as the only athlete in her division
- A viral video of Presley inspired other amputees, including a young girl, to pursue gymnastics again after setbacks
The first time Presley June saw a gymnast perform, she didn’t hesitate.
She was standing inside the City Museum in St. Louis, Mo., watching a children’s circus when something about the movement — the precision, the control, the way the performer moved through the air — stopped her in her tracks. For her mom, Jessica Riley, it was immediately clear this wasn’t just curiosity.
“I remember her eyes getting huge, like she had just discovered magic,” Riley tells PEOPLE exclusively. “She said, ‘I want to do that,’ and she meant it.”
That moment would go on to shape a path few could have predicted…