'Bionic model' and girl born without left forearm inspire at New York Fashion Week

Rebekah Marine, the woman dubbed by some as “the bionic model,” strutted the catwalk at New York Fashion Week for the third season this month, but this time she had a partner— a girl born without a left forearm. Marine, 28, who was born without her right forearm, and Gianna Schiavone, 6, walked hand in hand Monday at the FTL Moda show, People magazine reported.

"Gianna's my mini-me. She looks like me, and she was also born the same way I was," Marine told People.com. "Walking with her meant the world to me. It's almost symbolic of passing the torch to future generations."

The Lucky Fin Project, a nonprofit that supports individuals with upper-limb abnormalities, connected the two models, who donned metallic Champagne-colored Josefa Da Silva Gowns. People.com reported that the two posed similarly, and the crowd expressed their approval with cheers.

"It's fun because we both have the same thing in common," Schiavone told People.com. "Walking with her makes me feel happy because there's not just one me in the world." The young model said holding hands with Marine was her favorite part of the show.

Marine told the magazine that she’s been “trying to push the boundaries in the fashion industry, hoping that I can open doors for people like Gianna in the future.”

"I hope Gianna will keep inspiring people of all ages— especially younger kids— to celebrate their uniqueness," Marine added.