COVID-19 In MDHospitalizations, Positivity Rate Continue Downward Trend
By CBS Baltimore Staff
Filed Under:Baltimore, Baltimore News, Jessica Long, Local TV, Maryland, Maryland News, Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, Super Bowl LV, Talkers

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A Super Bowl ad told Paralympian Jessica Long’s story of her adoption from a Siberian orphanage by a Baltimore couple during a Toyota advertisement.

The spot, titled “Upstream,” ran during the second quarter of Sunday’s Super Bowl broadcast on CBS.

READ MORE: COVID-19 In Maryland: 862 New Cases Reported; Hospitalizations, Positivity Rate Continue Declining

It alternated shots of Long swimming with moments of her childhood and parents, who were told in a phone call recreated in the commercial that their 13-month old baby would need to have her legs amputated below the knee.

Long was born with fibular hemimelia. She was missing the fibulas, ankles, heels and most of the other bones in her feet. Her legs were amputated below the knees so she could be fitted for prosthetic legs and learn to walk at 18 months old.

READ MORE: Baltimore City Schools To Offer Weekly COVID-19 Testing For Students, Staff

Long has 23 Paralympic medals.

The Paralympian began swimming competitively at 10-years-old. Two years later, she competed in the Paralympic Games Athens 2004 as the youngest athlete on Team USA.

In 2019 she was tapped to join Team Bridgestone USA on the road to the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.

“So proud and honored to be a Team Toyota athlete,” she tweeted earlier this week. “This is a moment I’ll remember forever,”

CBS Baltimore Staff