He’s 13. He Spent 300 Hours Building a Wheelchair for a Toddler

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See Zac Waters and the mobility chair he built in ABC4 Utah’s report.

Video: ABC4 Utah. Watch on YouTube.

What happens when a teenager finds a way to turn something he loves into something someone else needs?

For Zac Waters of Lehi, Utah, it meant spending roughly 300 hours printing and building a custom mobility chair for a 21-month-old girl.

His father, Jason Waters, shared that the toddler’s mother requested a chair through a program connecting families with volunteer makers. The materials for Zac’s build cost about $200, according to his father.

Zac used a design from MakeGood, a nonprofit that develops assistive devices. He printed the parts and assembled the chair, putting his interest in technology to practical use.

“It combines my two favorite things in life: 3D printing and helping people in need,” Zac told ABC4.

And there’s a way for others to get involved. MakeGood’s mobility program connects families with vetted volunteer makers who build custom mobility trainers at no charge to the requesting family.

A hobby became a useful skill. That skill became help for another family.

What could you make possible for someone else with a skill you already have?

Written by Siri Alexander
Published by WHH Media Network

Reporting credits: ABC4 Utah’s original report, Jason Waters’ account of his son’s project, and MakeGood.

Cover photo: Still from ABC4 Utah’s video report, via Laughing Squid. Cover design: WHH Media Network.