Students Builds Bus Stop Shelter For 5-year-old Wheelchair User To Protect Him From The Harsh Weather

In Rhode Island, many high school students assisted a five-year-old wheelchair user in staying safe while waiting for the school bus every morning.

For others, waiting for the school bus is a straightforward task, but for Ryder Killam, who was born with spina bifida and is fully wheelchair-dependent, it is not.

Every morning, Ryder’s parents roll his wheelchair to the end of their driveway to wait for the bus. Some mornings are straightforward, but it all depends on the weather.

“Unfortunately, because Ryder is in a wheelchair, the distance from our house to the bus is around 75 feet. “He’s not your normal kid that hurries out the door when the bus arrives,” Ryder’s father, Tim Killam, explained.

They used to hide Ryder from the severe New England weather with an old patio umbrella fastened to a fence, but keeping him dry was impossible when the winds were fierce.

His parents turned to Facebook for assistance, asking if any of their friends had a patio umbrella they no longer needed.

They did, however, receive a better offer—from a group of strangers, no less.

After learning of the Facebook post, a local guidance counselor advised the Killams to contact Dan McKena, a Construction Technology instructor at Westerly High School.

Tim’s email arrived as he was seated with Mason Heald, one of his students, who was working on his senior project. The teacher informed him that he was “creating a bus stop” right then and there.

Fourteen other students in the class were eager to assist with the project and provide Ryder with the home he so well deserves.

“We’ve worked on various projects in the past,” Dan explained. “I believe it is critical for my pupils to learn not just about construction but also about being active in the community and interacting with people outside of the classroom.”

The gang worked tirelessly for nearly a month to complete the shelter before winter arrived. Ryder’s parents contributed to the cost of the supplies, but they also received assistance from Home Depot, who provided $300 worth of wood.

“For me, it was a learning curve,” Mason added. “I’ve never done anything like that before.” I viewed films on how studs hollow down objects. “I didn’t have a lot of knowledge about what I was doing.”

The students clearly put a lot of effort into Ryder’s hut, ensuring sure it was ADA-compliant so that the boy and his parents—or anybody else who might join him—could fit comfortably within.

Completing the project in such a short amount of time was no simple task, but the team succeeded thanks to their tireless work.

“They all worked together for a shared purpose, and they loved knowing what the ultimate outcome was and where it was heading,” Dan explained. “On days when they could have said things like, ‘I don’t feel like working,’ or anything, they simply come in anxious to get started and go to work.”

As word of the tale spread, more acts of kindness were performed throughout the neighborhood. Someone brought Ryder a heated blanket, and one of Dan’s old students, who now runs a landscaping company, agreed to pick up the hut and carry it to the Killams’ house for free.

Ryder is overjoyed to have a new bus stop that will keep him safe in any weather.

“He loves it,” his father said. “He actually has us stay out here and hang out after school now that it’s his new fort so he goes home.” “The community is fantastic; they’ve stepped forward for Ryder a couple of times.” It’s incredible how everyone pulls together to make things work.”

Tim emailed Dan a snapshot of the child enjoying his new home as a token of his gratitude. The photo, according to the teacher, “made it all worthwhile.” He also spoke with the high school kids who were working on the project.

To discover more about how these classmates came together to aid this boy, watch the video below.