On Thursday, a 14-year-old wheelchair athlete from Grand Rapids, Michigan received a special surprise during a visit to Mary Freebed. Samlight, who is part of the Junior Pacers wheelchair basketball team and has also played tennis, was gifted with his very own custom-fit sports chair just in time for the lacrosse season. Upon arriving with his family, Sam had no idea that he was the one who would be receiving the new chair. However, he was thrilled when he found out.
“I was shocked that they chose me,” Sam told FOX 17. “My number one priority is an active and social life,” he added. With his new custom PER4MAX sports wheelchair, he will have the freedom to exercise whenever he wants.
Mary Free Bed was able to purchase several pieces of adaptive sports equipment thanks to a $50,000 grant from The Hartford Insurance Company. In addition to Sam’s new chair, they also acquired seven handcycles and three sports wheelchairs. Dawn Wright, Sam’s mother, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity that her son now has. “All we wanted for Sam was to give him the same opportunities as other children. He’s just one step closer,” she said.
Those interested in sports programs and teams can visit Sam’s website for more information. To stay updated on local news, follow FOX 17 on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.