These Dads Are Doing It Right – Part 13 – Dads Making A Difference

This week for the These Dads Are Doing It Right Series I wanted to highlight dads that have gone above and beyond. These dads have created moments for their kids that they might not have ever had a chance to experience. It is so cool to see the love these dads have for their kids. They are making a difference in their kid’s lives. These acts of love will be something that will stay with them for a lifetime. If you want to share a story of a dad who is making a difference leave it in the comment section below. 

Lon Davis – Walkin’ & Rollin’ Costumes

I interviewed Lon Davis a few years ago. He created Walkin’ & Rollin’ because of his son. In 2005, his son was born with cancer. The tumor crushed his spinal cord leaving him with limited mobility in his legs. Three years later, he got his first wheelchair. And come Halloween, Lon made his son a Wall-E costume that fit around his wheelchair. It was a huge hit. Since then, his son has challenged him to come up with even bigger and more elaborate costumes every year.

Lon created Walkin’ & Rollin’ Costumes with one simple goal in mind. It is to provide any child with special needs equipment a unique and custom built costume for them, free of charge to the family. Their mission is to create custom costumes for special needs children in walkers and wheelchairs. There is no cost to the families receiving them. They do this through a combination of volunteers to help build the costumes, and donations to keep the costumes free. Well done Lon. Keep up the great work. Check out his site at walkinrollin.org. 

Vito Parry – Right By His Son’s Side 

Vito Parry’s son has cerebral palsy. He knew that his son has missed out on things that other kids get to do each day. Vito wanted to change that. He looked to find a way for his son to feel what it is like to play sports. So Vito created a mobility harness he found online. He learned about the design from a mom whose son also has cerebral palsy. After studying how it works he created a similar harness. Their feet are strapped together so that Vito’s son legs can move freely with Vito’s movement. Check out the video of the two playing soccer in their backyard. The joy on his son’s face says it all. This is fatherhood at its best. Vito is definitely making a difference. 

Matthew Regonini – A High Chair From A Galaxy Far, Far Away 

Most of us go out and buy a high chair from a store. For Matthew Regonini, he upped the high chair game by making his child a most impressive AT-ST high chair. Even though Matt built something that the Empire would use to try and defeat the Rebels I am guessing Luke Skywalker and the rest of the Rebels would think this high chair was pretty cool. Matthew made the high chair for his son by using a CNC machine. That machine allowed him to make the necessary cuts for each part of the high chair. Now before you start to make your own let it be known that Matthew is Art director and designer from the site called Never Not Making. So in other words don’t try this at home.

Hal Vaughan – Flying The Family Skies 

This year not that many people are traveling by plane, but there was a time when airports were jam packed with people. A few years back Hal Vaughn’s daughter, Pierce who is a flight attendant, had to work on Christmas. He didn’t want her to be alone on Christmas. So what did he do? He decided to make the holiday special for his daughter. Hal was on every flight she was on that day. They flew from Fort Meyers, Florida to Detroit, Michigan and then to Massachusetts. During one of those flights, another passenger found out what Hal was doing and did a post on Facebook to document Hal’s special journey. That is something Pierce and her dad will always remember!