The world isn’t always equipped to deal with people who are disabled. So being in a wheelchair requires adapting to the world around you.

And while that isn’t always easy, most people make the best of their situation. But recently a group of teenagers decided that for one five-year-old boy, just getting by wasn’t enough.

So they adapted the world to help the wheelchair-bound child.

Ryder Killam loves going to school. But his daily 15-minute-wait for the school bus often left him exposed to the constantly changing weather in Rhode Island. From rain, wind and snow, the young boy would be outside, with only a patio umbrella to keep him and his wheelchair safe from the elements.

Ryder was born with spina bifida and has been in a wheelchair since he was two years old. Every day, his parents, Tim and Nikea, push him 75 feet to the end of the road to wait for his school bus. Because his disability can cause him to be late getting out of the house in the morning, he has to make sure he is at the stop early enough to not miss the bus.

When Ryder started school, his father used a patio umbrella to keep Ryder safe from the weather. 

Ryder Killam sits under the makeshift bus stop his parents made for him.
Photo by the Killam family.

“The problem is with the wind and fall weather here in New England it really didn’t accomplish much unless it was just a rainy day with no wind, otherwise he still would get wet and not stay warm,” Tim said.

Tim knew the family needed something better than just the patio umbrella.

“I placed a post on Facebook looking to see if one of my friends or one of their connections might have an old bus hut,” he said. “I see them here and there on people’s property and figured maybe someone had one and had grown children that might not need it anymore.”

Someone commented on the Facebook post and suggested reaching out to the local high school, Westerly High, which had a construction class. Tim emailed Dan McKena, the teacher, asking if this was a project that could be taken on.

“He responded with an absolutely and then he worked with his students to design, and build the hut,” he said.

“We’ve done other projects before,” McKena said.

I think it’s very important for my students to learn not only the aspects of construction, but of being involved in the community, dealing with people outside of the school environment.”

Multiple classes worked on the project, spurred on by the coming winter. Home Depot donated $300 in wood, and the rest of the items needed were bought by Ryder and his family.

The hut was built big enough so that Ryder and one other adult could fit in there comfortably. It took about 6 weeks for it to be finished.

Ryder Killam sits with his father, Tim Killam, in the newly-constructed bus stop hut. Photo by the Killam family.

“We were shocked, it was much bigger than we expected and allows such great access for Ryder and an adult to be with him comfortably,” Tim said. “Ryder …  loved it and wants to hang out in it all the time.”

The family sent the students a photo of Ryder happily using the new hut. 

The community heard of the new bus stop for the little boy and were determined to help the family. They donated items such as a heated blanket for when it’s colder outside, as well as help with transportation.

“This project brought our community together a bit, it showed that there is still so much good in this world and town!” Tim said.

Sources: Epoch Times | Understanding Compassion