Community Corner
Livingston Teachers Rig ‘My Little Pony’ Unicorn Wheelchairs For Make-A-Wish Kids
A pair of brothers with muscular dystrophy will take the coolest, baddest wheelchair chariots you've ever seen to BronyCon 2016.
LIVINGSTON, NJ — With a pair of mean-looking unicorn wheelchairs, two Livingston teachers managed to bring a smile to the faces of Make-A-Wish recipients Jesse and James Freeman.
Connecticut residents Jesse, 13 and his brother James, 12 - both muscular dystrophy patients and huge fans of the animated TV show “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic” - are now the proud owners of some the coolest, custom-built wheelchairs that you’ve ever seen. And they have Heritage Middle School teachers Ken Zushma and Mike Jeskey to thank for their awesome new chariots.
According to MyRecordJournal.com, the Livingston technology education teachers were part of a group that brought the Freeman brothers’ vision of unicorn-drawn wheelchairs to reality. After connecting with Oregon nonprofit Magic Wheelchair and Make-A-Wish Connecticut during the spring, the two teachers met with the young men to go over their personal preferences.
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For James, this meant a mean-looking, black and blue unicorn named “Sonic.” For Jesse, it meant a black, red, and orange unicorn with a fiery horn and bat wings that he dubbed “Flame.”
About 100 hours went into creating the chariots, which are wired with glowing LED lights and rigged to make it seem as if the unicorns are pulling their owners, MyRecordJournal.com reported.
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As part of their wish, the brothers will be taking their new wheelchairs to the upcoming BronyCon Convention in Maryland, a 10,000-strong gathering of their favorite show’s most faithful fans.
Zushma and Jeskey were both recognized for their effort during Wednesday’s meeting of the Livingston Board of Education.
“[Your effort] is inspirational to us, your peers and your students,” Livingston Superintendent Christina Steffner said.
Photos: Marilyn Joyce Lehren / Livingston Public Schools
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