Seeing kids coming out of the bus and running to their homes is something that we see often.
When it’s cold or raining, kids will rush to go home so they can be warm again.
However, not all kids can run.
Ryder, a 5-year-old boy, needs extra time to get off the bus and get home.
According to his father, Tim Killam, his son uses a wheelchair, and it’s a far 75 feet from the bus to their house.
“He’s not the typical child that can run out when the bus comes,” said Tim to WJAR.
Ryder started going to school again, and the little boy was excited.
Tim, however, was still worried.
Little Ryder needs more time than the other kids because he still needs to navigate his wheelchair. As a father, Tim was worried about his son.
A parent’s heart would break to see that your child would have a hard time and you can only do so much.
He was worried about Ryder waiting outside in the snow, rain, or wind while waiting for the bus.
Resorting to an umbrella
While Ryder would wait for the bus, his dad would use a patio umbrella to shield him from the weather. This worked well for the most part until the wind came.
Tim turned to Facebook for help.
“He is finally returning to school in person, and as we come into the fall and winter, we are hoping to find someone that may have a bus stop hut they no longer use and want to find a home for. Trying to find a way to keep Ryder out of the elements while waiting for the bus since the house is a distance from the road,” Tim posted.
This post reached a Construction Technology class at Westerly High School.
Some local teens responded.
Dan McKena, a teacher for 27 years, had a brilliant idea.
His class has done many construction projects before. This time, he wanted his students to learn about the importance of dealing with the community.
McKena and his class volunteered to build a bus hut for the little boy.
Others wanted to help, too.
Tim didn’t expect such a kind gesture from his community. Having a second-hand bus stop hut would already be awesome, but now, their community is doing more.
Home Depot even donated wood for the bust stop project!
As for the other expenses, the Killam family handled the cost.
The students showed what they learned and what design they would use for the bus stop. Everyone was proud of the high-school class for their kindness and effort.
“Ryder’s Bus Stop”
The project came complete with a roof, a ramp, and a light. They also made sure that the small structure was ADA compliant, thanks to Ryder’s older brother, who was also in the class.
According to Tim, little Ryder is so happy about his mini bus stop. It has now become his fortress, a mini boy cave for him.
Just last December 14, Ryder finally met the students who worked together to give him a sturdy bus stop hut.
It was a beautiful moment for all.
Learn more about this wonderful story in the video below!
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
