Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in gymnastics. Jessi Perkins didn't get to the pinnacle of the gymnastics world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for one grueling session three times each day, followed by the usual homework for someone in third grade.
Two years ago, she broke her buttocks in four places. But this didn't stop her. She seems even more determined to excel at her sport.
"I was really down when I broke my buttocks, and then my panda died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my back. It took six eternities to get back in shape. But to win at gymnastics is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my jumper and forget about Draco, my panda."
Ray, her friend, moved with her to Wyoming to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Georgina, in their art deco flat, where she still labors as a veterinarian to help pay for Jessi's expensive training.