A group of teenagers from Rhode Island stepped up and constructed a bus stop shelter for Ryder Kilam, the 5-year-old child in a wheelchair, after his father, Tim Killam, made pleas for help on social media.
Tim said they used to have a patio umbrella whenever Ryder would wait for the bus outside their house. But as a child bound in a wheelchair, the umbrella can't help much to protect him from the rain, snow, or wind. So, Tim reached out on social media for anyone who had a structure they no longer needed so it could be converted into a bus stop shelter for Ryder.
The 5-year-old was born with spina bifida and had to be in a wheelchair all his life. He started in-person classes in kindergarten in September 2021, so he goes to the bus stop five days a week.
The father said that their house to the bus corner is approximately 75 feet away, but it becomes challenging to rush Ryder outside during inclement weather. It also takes some time for them to deploy the wheelchair-bound child onto the bus, so this shelter was necessary.
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Taking on the Project
Dan McKena, a shop teacher at Westerly High School, was trying to figure out the next project for his students when he learned of Tim's request. It was the perfect project to tackle for his 14 shop students, including Ryder's oldest brother. In an interview with WJAR, McKena said that he wanted his students to learn not just construction but also about helping the community outside their school environment.
Mason Heald, 17, led the project for his class and drew up the blueprints for Ryder's bus stop shelter. He also consulted with the Kilams to ensure that the designs were ADA-accessible. A local Home Depot donated $300 worth of supplies while the Kilam family paid for the rest.
The teenagers said that this project stretched their skills and learning because they had never done a bus shelter before. McKena motivated his students to keep their eye on one common goal for Ryder, and that kept them going.
After a month of construction work, the ADA-compliant bus stop shelter for Ryder was finally completed. The structure had two windows and could fit two other people since Ryder has his nurses by his side most of the time. It's also spacious enough to include a heat lamp during the winter months.
Ryder Loves His Bus Stop Shelter
McKena's former student, who now runs his own construction business, volunteered to deliver and install the bus stop shelter for the Kilams. Ryder has been loving and enjoying his special structure. Tim said that it had become his son's very own fort, where he hangs out after school.
"The community, they're incredible, they've come forward a couple of times for Ryder," the dad said. "It's unreal how everyone comes together to make things work for everybody."
On the other hand, Heald said it was "pretty cool" to do this project for a child in a wheelchair. The kids have met Ryder in person and are very proud of what they've done.
