Yitzy lives in a lively home where he, his sister and two brothers, continually test the limits of how fast they can slide down hallways without knocking over books or nicking family pictures hanging on the wall. Yitzy’s two younger siblings, just emerging from toddlerhood, set the pace in this warm, happy apartment in Southern Brooklyn where they live with their doting parents.
ADA has been helping Yitzy since he was a toddler. A customized tricycle helped Yitzy manage mobility in his younger years. Now eight years old, he has developed strong arms that can compensate for his legs and lower torso which are not mobile. Although the trike allowed Yitzy to sit up and communicate with his family, it was not allowing him to move quickly and keep up with his siblings.
“Yitzy’s physical therapist contacted us and asked if we could design something where he could lay flat and scoot himself around.” Said Eric Gottshall, ADA Designer. “We needed to come up with something crafted to his body that would allow him to express the mobility that was in him and being blocked by technology.”
“When I was a little boy, I was influenced by Hotwheels cars.” Said Eric. “I must have had a hundred of them and I loved how sleek and fast they were. I took the idea of a Hotwheels car and designed an indestructible vehicle that Yitzy can control with his arms and scoot across the floor as quickly as he wants. “The ‘Lowrider’ stops and turns quickly so that he can chase his brothers and sister down the hall and pivot when it’s time to take the race to another part of the house.” Said Eric.
Yitzy has two bullet cars now, one for school, and a slick, indestructible car at home that stops, pivots and works with Yitzy. “We chose to ‘trick-out’ his home car using high-end wood detail and wheels that look great, but also help navigate a house full of shoes and toys.” Said Eric. “It’s amazing to hear him laughing on the top of his lungs as he scoots around the house. That’s our job, to let kids be kids.”
Our goal at ADA is to design mobility devices that are literally extensions of bodies. We are committed to independence, mobility, and honoring the personality of each person who needs an adaptive device to help navigate the world.
With your help, we can continue to help young people like Yitzy live their lives to the fullest, with dignity and fun!