KEIZER, Ore. -- An Oregon couple has become quite popular for their ornate costume designs for their sons who are both confined to wheelchairs.
Now, they are extending their gift of celebrating "life on wheels" to other families.
There's a profound beauty in the simple smile of a child. And when that child has been through more hardships than birthdays, that smile means a little more.
"There's no cure but there's always hope," Ryan Weimer
Hope for kids like Keaton Weimer and his little brother Bryce. Spinal muscular atrophy has robbed them of their strength to walk, eat, and sometimes even breathe. But on Halloween, everything changes.
"I get to be included," said Keaton Weimer.
"You see these guys out here, and they're having a blast, and they're superheroes and they're dragon riders," said creator Ryan Weimer.
All because of the costumes their parents have created, incorporating their wheelchairs into something magic.
"I had a Pokemon, I had a pirate ship, an elephant," said Keaton Weimer.
It is a Halloween tradition that's changed their family so much, they're now going to build costumes for others kids, through a non-profit they've created called Magic Wheelchair. Every year, five children will be selected through video submissions, and Ryan Weimer and his team will personally create whatever they can imagine.
"Who doesn't want to put a smile on a kid's face, make their dreams come true?" said Tammy Hay.
That's why Tammy Hay is part of magic wheelchair. Her son, Christopher, also has SMA.
"It affects the spine from letting you walk," said Christopher Hay.
"Christopher has gone through and will have to go through more than I think I ever will, I wish I could take his spot," said Tammy Hay.
"They've been dealt a rough hand, but they're kids," said Ryan Weimer.
And if there's one thing kids should have? It's a reason to smile.
"To bridge gaps and create awareness and put huge smiles on kids’ faces and let them fly around on a dragon, drive robots, whatever, whatever they want," Ryan Weimer added.
The only requirement for kids submitting videos to get their own costume is that they be in a wheelchair.
To learn more about the process or to help fund it, check out the organization's website magicwheelchair.org.
