Fundraising Provides New Hope for 3-Year-Old with Disabilities

Emily Progin, PR and Communications Coordinator

FUNDRAISING PROVIDES NEW HOPE FOR 3-YEAR-OLD WITH DISABILITIES

As Zack Learns to Walk, “He Can See the World in a Different Way”

DOTHAN, Ala.—Despite the challenges of his medical diagnoses, three-year-old Zackariah has a bright future ahead thanks to the love of his family and a little help from the Dothan community. Zack is experiencing the joys of walking on his own thanks to “robotic legs”—a unique Trexo mobility device that will improve his mobility and health. Mom and perpetual advocate Patricia is partnering with the trusted national nonprofit Help Hope Live on a fundraising campaign to bring progress within reach through at-home use of the Trexo.

Zack and his twin brother, Dale, were born premature at just 26 weeks. Both live with cerebral palsy and associated challenges with mobility and development. Zack can’t stand or sit for more than a minute or two unassisted.

Limited mobility can also limit Zack’s capacity to engage with the world around him—but there is hope for a brighter future through a unique piece of mobility technology called a Trexo. While brain damage at birth has made Zack unable to form a connection between his brain and his legs to move independently, “with years of repetition, he can reconnect those pathways,” explained Patricia. “The Trexo would allow for this to happen. He would be able to walk with me, his brother, and his father, and see the world in a different way.”

“I know that Zack wants this—I see the happiness that pours from him when he is upright,” explained Patricia. “The desire is there: the muscle strength and the know-how are not. The Trexo would give him that.”

Progress so far has been significant, Patricia said: “I really cannot describe the changes this has already made in Zack’s abilities. His head control, core strength, ability to initiate steps, his crawling has improved, sitting has improved—it is AMAZING to watch the benefits this piece of equipment gives him. I can only imagine what it would do to be able to use one every single day, at home with the support of his family and friends to cheer him on.”

Zack currently gets a chance to use a Trexo only as part of a six-week trial during physical therapy sessions at Children’s of Alabama. Patricia makes a four-hour drive each way to get Zack to these sessions.

Trexo devices have the greatest possible chance of influencing mobility when they are used consistently. Patricia wants to maximize Zack’s chances of greater mobility in the future by purchasing a Trexo for home use.

The problem: insurance won’t help with the cost despite the proven health and mobility benefits for kids like Zack. That’s why she turned to the trusted nonprofit Help Hope Live to start a fundraising campaign at: https://helphopelive.org/campaign/21095/

See Zack’s exceptional progress by following Patricia’s TikTok channel for her “micro miracle” boys at: @mom2micromiracles.

Unlike a GoFundMe campaign, donations to Help Hope Live in honor of Zackariah and Dale are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law, and all funds raised will be managed by the nonprofit to cover verified medical and related expenses. Help Hope Live verifies medical and financial need for every patient.

Help Hope Live is a national nonprofit that specializes in engaging communities in secure, tax-deductible fundraising campaigns for people who need a transplant or are affected by a catastrophic injury or illness. Since 1983, campaigns organized by Help Hope Live have raised over $165 million to pay patient expenses. ###

Download Press Release

Written by Emily Progin