Jennifer Bricker always wanted to learn more about her biological family.
Jennifer Bricker always wanted to learn more about her biological family.
Born without legs, Bricker was given up for adoption by Romanian immigrants in Illinois. Fortunately, Bricker was taken in by a couple who taught her there was nothing she couldn't do.
"I was adopted by the parents that were supposed to have me, that raised me with a mindset to do anything and to never say can't," Bricker told Inside Edition.
From the time she was a little girl, Bricker loved gymnastics, eventually becoming an accomplished acrobat and aerialist. When she sought inspiration, she'd look to her idol, Dominique Moceanu, who won gold as part of the 1996 U.S. Olympic women's team.
"She looks just like me and she's Romanian and I love gymnastics and she's a gymnast, so it was just all of those things on a kid level that drew me to her," Bricker said.
But little did Bricker know her connection to Moceanu ran deeper than mere admiration. When she asked her adoptive mother what she knew about her biological family, Bricker was in for a surprise.
"She tells me my biological last name was Moceanu and immediately, obviously I knew what that meant and was flabbergasted," said Bricker.
As it turned out, the woman Bricker had so long admired was actually her older sister.
And while they may have missed some life milestones together, the siblings are looking forward to all those to come, including Bricker's recent wedding.
"The most important thing is that we're in each other's lives now," Moceanu said, snapping photos of her sister's big day.
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