Many of us, even most of us, have probably gotten a pair of shoes as a gift at one point or another but for 16-year-old Matthew Walzer, a single pair of shoes is going to change his life.
Walzer has cerebral palsy, a condition that inhibits his motor skills. Although he overcame many of the expectations doctors had of him, due to his hands' limited ability, he cannot tie his shoes and it's difficult for him to even get them on without the help of his parents.
Knowing that he would be going to college in a few years and that his parents may not be there to help him, he wrote a letter to his favorite sneaker company, Nike.
“My dream is to go to the college of my choice without having to worry about someone coming to tie my shoes every day. I've worn Nike basketball shoes all my life. I can only wear this type of shoe, because I need ankle support to walk. At 16 years old, I am able to completely dress myself, but my parents still have to tie my shoes. As a teenager who is striving to become totally self-sufficient, I find this extremely frustrating and, at times, embarrassing,” he reads the letter with tears in his eyes.
Hearing his plea, Nike designer Tobie Hatfield decided to create a solution. He called Walzer up and they worked together to create a sneaker that had ankle support and could be seamlessly put on by those with physical limitations.
Sometimes the smallest gesture can have the biggest affect, when a cop paid for a desperate mother's gas it moved her tears. For Walzer, a simple pair of shoes brings him a sense of pride.
See the tearful moment Walzer receives the very first pair of Nike Flyease sneakers, designed for him and those like him.
SHARE to let others with similar disabilities know this sneaker is available to them!
