Bonding moments between a parent and their baby are one of the most special things in the world. But sometimes, life gets in the way, making bonding time within families more complicated than it should be.
Meet Jeremy
Jeremy King from Germantown, Maryland had a brain tumor surgery years ago that left him with physical challenges, causing him to rely on a wheelchair to move around.
New Dad
He and his wife, Chelsie, recently had a baby, and now the problem is how he could take his baby on walks while he’s in a wheelchair.
Big Problem
Chelsie, a teacher at Bullis School, said, “While he can walk, he can’t do so safely carrying a child… So we jumped into, ‘OK, what do we need in order for him to parent safely?’ and honestly, not a whole lot came up — there’s just really not a ton of resources out there for disabled parents.”
An Idea
Chelsie thought of asking for help from her co-teacher, Matt Zigler, who conducts a class called “Making for Social Good” where they create products that contribute relevant and positive change in society.
His Team
Matt gathered a team of students to invent a mechanism that could be attached to Jeremy’s wheelchair. They started by hopping on interviews with Chelsie’s family and talking to someone at the local fire department about infant car seat installation training to better understand how it works.
Creative Minds
The students borrowed a wheelchair from the school nurse to use as a prototype and used computer software like MakerSpace for 3D printing. They tested their designs for safety and used cinder blocks to test their durability and to see if they could hold more weight.
Successful Project
Eventually, the students successfully created two wheelchair adaption devices, which they called “WheeStroll,” and Jeremy and his wife were grateful for their efforts and hard work.
A Great Impact
Benjamin Gordon, one of the high school students who invented “WheeStroll,” said, “To see the smile on his face and to know that I was able to help give him that connection with his child that he wouldn’t be able to have because of his disabilities.”
Well-Deserved
The kids received lots of praise and commendations for their invention and ended up winning two international awards for the “WheeStroll”.
Watch how a group of high school students changed the life of their teacher’s family with their invention in the video below.
Watch Video Here:
