This Little Boy Can't Walk On His Own, So A High School Robotics Team Customized A Power Wheelchair Just For Him

Apr 10, 2019 by apost team

Walking is something that many of us enjoy doing. Many people walk as a part of their job's duties while others enjoy walking as a form of fitness. It's safe to say that many of us take walking for granted, but not 2-year-old Minnesota boy Cillian Jackson. The adorable tyke is unable to walk, and wheelchairs for a still-growing child are extremely expensive. That is when a local high school robotics team stepped in. 

Parents Krissy and Tyler Jackson were desperate to help their son. When they were told that insurance would not cover the cost of a wheelchair until Cillian was older, the couple were forced to improvise.

Krissy and Tyler often pushed their baby boy around in a stroller, despite Cillian having reached an age where most children walk alongside their parent's short distances.

They purchased a Powerwheels car for the boy, but it was not without limitations.

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Unable to afford to pay for a wheelchair out-of-pocket, Tyler turned to the Farmington High School robotics team for help.

The team of teens accepted the challenge and got straight to work. The team used plans provided by the company Go Baby Go, which specializes in modifying electric toy cars to assist disabled children in mobility.

Cillian's parents provided the group with the Powerwheels car he already had. The high schoolers performed many modifications on the vehicle before it was able to be considered a wheelchair.

The original toy car came with two joysticks. They were replaced by a single joystick that operated using custom code written by the team members. This allowed Cillian to be mobile multi-directional, unlike before. The original Powerwheels set up only allowed for the tot to move forward or backward.

The teens then removed the original seat, which was too large, and replaced it with one smaller that featured a five-point safety harness. The Jacksons were presented with the wheelchair in December 2018 and have conveyed their gratitude.

"Cillian has more freedom with his chair," Krissy said in an interview with CNN. "He can stop and explore things on his own, which he couldn't do before."

Freshman Alex Treakle, who performed most of the wiring work on the wheelchair, told CNN was more than happy to help with the project:

"I wanted to do something to help someone," Alex said. "When I got to see the joy on Cillian's face, it made my year."

Watch the amazing story in the video below:

Have you ever gone above and beyond to lend a stranger a helping hand? What do you think about the work of these students and their finished product? Show this article to your friends and family to spread the word of this amazing transformation!