In a story that is guaranteed to restore some of your faith in humanity, a 13-year-old boy has spent his summer vacation from school doing something incredible for someone else. Zac Waters has used his free time to design a 3D-printed custom wheelchair for a toddler girl. Waters dedicated a significant amount of time to watching a YouTube channel about 3D printing and was inspired to use his passion for it to make a difference in the world.
The channel Waters watched is a nonprofit organization called MakeGood that 3D-prints assistive devices for individuals with disabilities all around the world. The video content sparked something inside him and he knew he needed to get involved. Waters then spent his summer designing, printing, testing, and assembling a custom wheelchair for a 21-month-old little girl.
Zac said that his favorite part of any 3D printing project is fitting the pieces together, which means the chair must be one of his favorites as it took over 300 hours. Waters also said that he is excited to be part of the 3D-printing community that helped him bring the wheelchair into existence. He also revealed that he wants to continue developing his skills and hopes to be as good at the art as the MakeGood team.
According to a report from WKRN, the wheelchair was made with several unique features in addition to the pink accents, which happens to be the girl’s favorite color. The chair has a removable cupholder and tray table. The back of the chair features a space for heavier medical equipment. The straps, which are adjustable, are made of soft and bendable material for extra comfort.
The footrest and headrest are adjustable so it can accommodate the little girl as she grows. Local media outlets asked Waters what motivated him to take on the project. “It combines my two favorite things in life: 3D printing and helping people in need. It just makes sense!” he said. Zac stated that he is thankful for the help and support of his family in bringing the idea to life.
He also said that his family is like bowling ball training rails, keeping him on the right path and giving him the freedom to bounce ideas off of them until he completes a project. “We hope he always remembers that the greatest legacy anyone can leave is to make someone else’s life better,” his grandmother, Charlotte Waters, went on to say. “His age does not define his ability to make a difference. His character does.”
Zac told reporters that he wants to do something “techie” when he reaches adulthood. He wants to use his skills with 3D printing to help more people, a demonstration of the kind of character the young man possesses. Folks on social media were supportive of Waters and his act of good will. “We are in the process of being approved to begin making them for some kiddos! Test printing begins today!” someone wrote on a Facebook post about the story.
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“Wow and I was impressed that my 5 year old designed and constructed sleep masks for our cats and then chased them around the house trying to get them to wear their masks,” another humorously shared. “Not all heroes wear capes!” someone else said. “Lots of people are making and donating these, it’s a wonderful program and the designs are free,” another pointed out.
Featured Image: screenshot from embedded video