“Ava! Ava!” the packed gymnasium erupted in cheers, eager to witness a special milestone. As she turned her head to look toward the crowd, Ava flashed a wide grin as she took her first steps toward a more independent future.  

Born prematurely at 26 weeks, five-year-old Ava from Huntingtown, MD, has had a difficult medical journey for a nervous system disorder. Despite her young age, she’s endured 15 brain surgeries and various treatments, which has caused speech and mobility challenges. Through it all, she continues to be a very sweet and easygoing child. Ava’s support in her darkest moments is her loving family. Her parents and her siblings always have Ava’s best interest at heart – and that was no exception when it came time to determine her wish. 

Due to her medical condition, Ava is not able to talk, so her family thought about a wish that could provide her with the biggest benefits possible. After seeing other families utilizing a robotic walker for their child, Ava’s parents knew that would be a wish that would greatly improve her quality of life. Ava wished for a Trexo robotic gait trainer, which would allow her to walk for the very first time. 

The Trexo team provided individualized trainings for Ava and her family so they could utilize all the walker’s features safely and effectively. Using the equipment will both improve Ava’s mobility and strengthen her core and head control. “Trexo told us we should start slow, so the first day I put her in it, she did about 400 steps and wasn’t complaining. Now we’re up to about 1,000 steps a session,” Ava’s dad, Chris, said. “It’s great to see.” 

Ava practiced using the walker for about a month before she walked on her wish day. Her sister’s school, Plum Point Middle School, stepped up to support Ava’s wish day. The school’s Kindness Club created and distributed handmade signs to offer words of encouragement for the big moment. The students filled into the bleachers and raised their signs, shook pom poms and cheered Ava on as she showed off her new ability for the first time. 

Once inside her Trexo, using her custom shoes provided from BILLY Footwear and dynamic pacer and accessories from Rifton, Ava proudly walked across the gym. She took her time to look around and embrace the moment, smile at her adoring audience and even waved. Her parents followed alongside her, beaming with pride at how something that once felt impossible was now happening. 

“It’s only going to get better from here,” Stacy said. “Ava is no different from any other kid, or any other person that just wants to experience life. By the community supporting Ava, it makes her feel included. I want them to understand that means the world to us. It means everything for a parent to see that another child is including their child with disabilities or challenges; that makes us feel so amazing. They’re all the same. They all want to be loved and they all want to be included.”  

Ava’s determination and confidence grew through her wish experience, and her newfound independence will continue to provide hope and happiness for her and her family. “Watching Ava in [her] Trexo, is really screaming to the world that she can walk. I’m bursting with joy and pride that she’s making the steps. She’s making it on her own. She will see and experience the world upward and in the right position: walking forward,” Stacy said. 

A special thank you to Trexo Robotics, BILLY Footwear, Rifton and Plum Point Middle School for showering Ava’s wish with love and support.