Some dreams can only be achieved with the help of those who love us. No person is an island, and we’re made better thanks to those who can fill the gaps where we might fall short. Kevan Chandler and his friends epitomize this idea. It began with Chandler’s lifelong dream of traveling to Europe. While it can be as simple as hopping on a plane, that wasn’t the case for Chandler. He has spinal muscular atrophy, type 2, which is a rare neuromuscular disease that requires him to use a wheelchair. His group of friends, however, wasn’t going to let his mobility challenges stop him from crossing the pond.
In summer 2015, Chandler asked a few of his close friends to help make his dream of European travel (from North Carolina) a reality, and they were eager to be on board. They began to work on the logistical elements of the trip, one of which didn’t include a wheelchair. The group adapted a kid carrier backpack to carry Chandler during the trip, and by the next summer, they set out to travel Europe for three weeks.
Chandler’s friends carried him in their modified hiking backpack during the three weeks. They danced in the streets of Paris on the summer solstice and attended a music festival on the banks of the Seine River. They wandered the English countryside in Kent and saw the sights of London. The crew visited the Emerald Isle and hiked Skellig Michael in Ireland. It was the trip of a lifetime.
Travel is transformative, and the trip was the start of Chandler’s mission to help others redefine what accessibility means for their lives. He established We Carry Kevan (WCK), a non-profit devoted to helping people with disabilities have more freedom, access, and joy in life. The organization seeks to redefine accessibility that is achieved through working together.
“The message is for the disabled community as well as able-bodied,” Chandler says. “We need each other to make it happen. If we are creative and courageous enough to give it a try, then the world becomes accessible.”
WCK has since developed a backpack, aptly called the WCK backpack, that is a carrier device specially designed for individuals with disabilities. The organization partnered with the Deuter company on the bag, and it’s designed for comfort and ease-of-use for both carrier and rider. It has given many people more freedom to move throughout the world.
Since creating the WCK backpack in 2017, Chandler and his friends have traveled abroad again and again. They ventured to China, delivering backpacks to the Show Hope center in Luoyang, and they later returned to Ireland for Chandler to present at TedX.
Chandler had a dream, made possible with the help of those close to him. Their love and devotion had a ripple effect; now, through WCK, this spirit is passed on to those who need it in their lives.
Kevan Chandler’s lifelong dream was to travel to Europe.
While it can be as simple as hopping on a plane for many people, that wasn’t the case for Chandler. He has spinal muscular atrophy, type 2, which is a rare neuromuscular disease that requires him to use a wheelchair.
His friends, however, weren’t going to let his mobility challenges stop him from crossing the pond. They modified a hiking backpack to allow them to carry Chandler on all their adventures.
They made the Europe trip happen, and they’ve since traveled together—including a trip to the Great Wall of China.
Travel changed Chandler’s life. He established We Carry Kevan (WCK), a non-profit devoted to helping people with disabilities have more freedom, access, and joy in life. This includes developing the WCK backpack, which is a carrier device specially designed for individuals with disabilities.
SThe bag has given many people more freedom to move throughout the world.
We Carry Kevan: Website | Instagram | Facebook
All images via We Carry Kevan.
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