Nat Ellis has been collecting toys for 25 years. His forte is the collectibles that fast food restaurants typically put in kids' meals.
After a quarter of a century, Ellis has amassed over 1,130 toys.
The 50-year-old teacher of business and marketing at Klamath Union High School in Klamath Falls, OR planned on selling the toys for his retirement.
He figured he'd auction them off on eBay and pocket the extra cash.
That entire plan changed when he met a 4-year-old boy named Logan Roninger.
Teachers can surprise us with their compassion, like Tori Nelson, who shaved her head to comfort a bullied student. While Logan isn't Ellis' student, it's safe to say his teacher instincts kicked in.
Logan has spinal muscular atrophy, a disorder that causes muscle weakness. Unable to crawl, walk, or dress himself, the degenerative condition also affects his ability to swallow, as well as his respiratory function.
Nevertheless, Logan is just like any other little boy. He loves the outdoors, but with his condition, getting around isn't easy.
"I'm a wildlife biologist, and my husband is a fishery biologist, so we spend all of our time outside; we love to hunt and fish and camp," Logan’s mom, Trisha Roninger, told TODAY.
"We make those things happen with Logan, but it's hard. You can only get so far in the woods, or you put him in a backpack."
Logan uses a standardized wheelchair to get around but that simply isn't enough for him to experience life the way other kids do.
In order to make this possible Logan would need a special wheelchair or Tank Chair that costs a whopping $17,000.
When Ellis heard about Logan's needs, he knew he had to help.
See how Ellis uses his toys to help Logan and SHARE if this teacher inspires you!
