KNOXVILLE (WATE) – The excitement on Gabriel Hodgson’s face was evident as he drove around his new toy.
The 4-year-old suffers from Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a disorder that will keep him in a wheelchair for life. Thursday he received an early Christmas gift from GoBabyGo Rocky Top.
With corporate sponsorship, the non-profit modifies toys to meet the needs of children like Gabriel. The customized Jeep has three large color buttons.
“Instead of having to muscle it with his arm, he can just hit a switch and be a knucklehead like any other kid,” said Pete Capell, a volunteer with GoBabyGo Rocky Top.
“It’s going to let him play outside with his brothers and sister. When they go out to play, he usually has to stay indoors,” explained Gabriel’s father Uriah.
Financially, it’s a relief for Gabriel’s parents, who have three other children. “His brothers and sister have made huge sacrifices so he can have the things he needs. We’re not talking small sacrifices. They’ve missed Christmas in the past because of medical costs.”
“Just the feeling that you can give a kid mobility that they wouldn’t otherwise have. To let them be a kid for a while. You can’t put a price on it,” Capell said, about how it’s so rewarding for him.
The Hodgson family currently lives in an apartment complex. One they say is not very wheelchair accessible. So they are searching for a new home to live in, where Gabriel will have space to play in his new jeep.
