Mother Speechless After Handyman Builds Her 6'10" Son With Autism A Brand New Swing Set At No Cost

Apr 13, 2019 by apost team

For Cobey Thomas, life isn't always a walk in the park, but that never stops him from having fun on the playground. This amazing 23-year-old has autism, which has led to some developmental delays and difficulties in adapting to changes in his routine. But despite these struggles, Cobey has a huge heart and a love for the simple joys in life, like swinging on a swing set.

However, as Cobey grew up, swinging on the swings became a serious challenge. Despite Cobey's sense of childish whimsy, there's nothing childlike about the young man's height; standing at a whopping six feet ten inches, swinging on a standard swing set is practically impossible for Cobey.

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"He would come home [from the park] and there would actually be blood," Cobey's adoring mother Jenifer told a local news outlet in their hometown of Knoxville, TN.

Indeed, using a playground designed for children wasn't just impractical for this gentle giant, but it was downright dangerous.

Because of this, Cobey's parents forbade him from using the swings, lest he injure himself further. However, Cobey was not only heartbroken but experiencing emotional distress and trouble sleeping due to the loss of his favorite pastime.

Like any devoted mother, Jenifer was determined to make her son happy again, no matter how much work it took on her part. So she started calling local contractors to see if anyone would be able to build a swing set in the Thomas family's yard that could accommodate Cobey.

“I’d say, 'my son is 6’10”, 200 pounds [and] he functions on maybe a 3-year-old level," Jenifer said, describing the conversation she had with almost 200 contractors. "They’d [say], 'oh heck no.'”

Enter Adam Ellis. This local contractor was recommended to the Thomas family. While others refused to take on the challenge, this heroic handyman was on the scene almost immediately, creating a plan for how to create the perfect swing for someone as tall as Cobey. After some smart planning,

Ellis was able to construct the structure in a matter of days. As it was built during the holidays, it was presented to Cobey covered in Christmas decorations.

But that wasn't the only Christmas gift for the deserving Thomas family. Throughout construction, Jenifer was secretly worried that the cost of building a swing set this large and customized would be astronomical. But when it came time to settle up with Ellis, he told her it was a Christmas gift.

We think everyone should hear this story, not only to spread awareness of autism, but to remind ourselves that our acts of kindness can mean the world to the people who need them the most. Tell us below how Cobey's story affected you and if you've ever had someone like Adam Ellis help you in your life.