Touching photo of woman and toddler proves you don't need arms for hugging

A heartwarming photo of RE Pranke, a 3-year-old girl born without arms, and Jessica Cox, the first armless pilot is proving you don't need limbs to share a hug.

The image was snapped when RE's mom, Karlyn Pranke took her daughter to meet Cox. In the image, Cox kneels down to embrace RE, short for Ruth Evelyn, in a hug with the pilot wearing a big grin on her face.

"It was amazing," Pranke of St. Paul, Minnesota, told ABC News. "I'm just grateful that we had the opportunity to show everyone that it doesn't matter if you have arms or not, that you can do the same things as everyone else -- you just may have to do it a little differently."

Pranke learned during her 20th week of pregnancy that RE would be born without arms. Ever since then, Pranke knew she wanted her 3-year-old daughter to meet the pilot and motivational speaker.

"I started Googling stuff and coming across Jessica," Pranke said. "Ever since, it's been very inspirational to me that she has come as far as she has to overcome her disability -- and my daughter has always said, especially lately, 'I want arms, I want arms.'"

"I wanted her to see she doesn't have to have arms," she added. "I wanted her to see all the things Jessica can do."

After talking with Dixon on Facebook, Pranke took a six-hour drive with RE to attend the July 24 premiere of Right Footed, a documentary about Cox's life as a pilot, third-degree black belt and advocate for people with disabilities. The pilot was surprised the mom and daughter drove all the way to meet her.

"They wanted to meet me, hear my story, and show RE that she's not the only one," Cox said. "It was just as important I think for RE's mom to meet me and reassure her that her daughter is going to be just fine."

During their meeting, Cox made sure to honor RE's only request.

"I did show her the airplane which was a wild moment for her," Cox told ABC News. "From the time she saw me, she asked 'Where's the airplane you fly?'" Pranke says that her daughter was thrilled to meet Cox, and to learn of all the things she has accomplished and is able to do without her arms.

"I thought it would be motivating for her -- showing that she can overcome your disability no matter what you are born with, or what you are born without," Pranke said. "You adapt to what you are given. [RE] is able to do some feeding for herself and she's able to use an iPad like its nobody's business. She's able to pick things up with her feet and carry it under her chin while she walks."

"She's been saying since we got home, 'She's just like me. She doesn't have arms.'"

Pranke says that she's been keeping in touch with Cox, who has been providing the 3-year-old with support and tips on how she can strengthen her balance when she gets older. Cox says that when she meets a child without arms like RE, it makes her feel like she's giving back.

"It's that feeling of 'Oh, I'm going to be OK. I'm going to be able do everything this woman did,' is what I'm giving back to RE and other children," Cox said. "It's saying 'I'm going to be just fine.'"