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SANTA MONICA, CA.—July, 2009
Sunday, May 31, 2009, will live in the hearts and minds of everyone
whose tears of joy followed 5-year-old Alexzander Prado’s
amazing feat at the Southern California Abilities Expo (www.abilitiesexpo.com)
in the Anaheim Convention Center. This was the day that a triumphant
little boy overcame his congenital cerebral palsy to walk hands-free
for the very first time. It was also the day that two strangers,
so touched by what they saw, bought Alexzander the miracle walker
that will change his life forever.
In the final hours of this thirty-year-old, three-day
trade show for people with disabilities, the perfect storm was
brewing. Desiree Trujillo, Alexzander’s mother, had just
arrived at the event with Alexzander and her brother, Dustin.
Mary and Bruce Boegel, co-owners of Prime Engineering,
were demonstrating their KidWalk, a revolutionary walker that
differs from other devices because it secures the child from the
back, leaving the front of their body open and their arms free.
Joe Hallock and Gregg Weinschrieder, co-owners
of SleepSafe® Beds, in an adjacent booth, were winding down after
three exhausting days of selling their safety beds.
Miss Trujillo was drawn to the Prime Engineering
booth by a picture of a little girl in a mobility device the likes
of which she had never seen before. It was drastically different
from the wheelchair and traditional walker that her son was currently
using. Once Mr. Boegel fitted Alexzander to test drive the KidWalk,
the boy’s excitement was palpable. “He had the biggest
smile from ear to ear,” said Miss Trujillo, “He lifted
up his knee and as soon as I saw that first step, I just started
crying because I’d never seen that before. It was just so
amazing.”
“She was overwhelmed,” Mrs. Boegel
said of Alexzander’s mother, “She was realizing the
possibilities of how he would be able to engage in his world.”
Exhilarated by his newfound independence, Alexzander
gave the gathering crowd of onlookers an exuberant thumbs-up and
challenged his mother to a race. “He kept saying, ‘I’m
doing it, Mommy, I’m doing it. I’m walking!...I’m
strong!’,” Miss Trujillo recounts.
Witnessing the child’s profound transformation,
Mr. Hallock and Mr. Weinschrieder made a decision. “[My
partner] looked at me and I looked at him and he said, ‘So,
I guess we oughta’,” recalls Mr. Hallock. They would
buy this walker for little Alexzander so that he could take it
home with him.
“As the saying goes, in your time on this
planet, if you can improve the life of one person, then you will
truly have been deemed a success,” said Mr. Hallock, “So,
we’re just trying to be successful.”
Miss Trujillo was floored by the news that her
son would never have to give up this device that had, in no time
at all, completely opened up his world. “I couldn’t
believe it. I’ve never even met these people before,”
she said, “And they just bought him this very expensive
piece of equipment to help him get around and change his life…They
are definitely angels.”
David Korse, president and CEO of Abilities Expo,
said, “We are honored to play a small part in setting the
stage for this modern-day miracle. Far from a typical trade show,
Abilities brings together cutting-edge, life-enhancing—and
in this case life-changing—technologies with people who
genuinely care. Our hats are off to the SleepSafe® and Prime
Engineering owners whose actions were truly inspiring.”
Alexzander’s Brave New World
“I still can’t believe it,” says Desiree Trujillo,
a single mom who is pursuing a degree in Human Services and works
part-time as a YMCA program specialist.
In the days since the SoCal Abilities Expo, Miss
Trujillo marvels at Alexzander’s broadening horizons and
revels in the simple pleasures the kindness of strangers has afforded
them. Mother and son can now walk hand-in-hand and play catch
thanks to what Alexzander proudly calls, “my new green walker.”
In the past, when his preschool friends would
run up to greet him, Alexzander would hold on to his traditional
walker while they gave him a hug. Now, he can hug back. Miss Trujillo
says she still can’t get over seeing Alex confidently grab
heavy toys off the shelf at school with two hands.
Alexzander’s plans include playing soccer,
picking flowers and playing at the park. “He’s going
to do so much more new stuff,” she said, “I just can’t
wait.”
Article by Kevaleen Lara / Abilities Expo
About Abilities Expo
Abilities Expo is the nation’s leading event for people
with disabilities, their families, caregivers and healthcare professionals.
For the past three decades, the Community has gathered at Abilities
Expos all over the country to discover the latest, life-enhancing
products and services and learn from relevant, free workshops.
Dynamic, CEU-earning sessions are available for healthcare professionals.
On the industry side, Abilities Expo is the premiere trade show
for manufacturers, distributors and service providers to showcase
their products and services directly to the end-user and professional
healthcare providers. For more information, visit www.abilitiesexpo.com.
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