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Check out this all-terrain wheelchair!
Posted by
JLoThursday, January 06, 2011
This story comes out of Maine about twin brothers using their skills to help a veteran living with a disability. (Image at right from Discovery.com) Here's part of the story:
Geoffrey and Michael Howe couldn’t say no when a disabled veteran from Maine contacted them about making a vehicle that would allow him to get back into nature after 20 years of only being able to go where a normal wheelchair could operate.
The twin brothers are the CEO and president, respectively, of Howe and Howe Technologies Inc., located in Waterboro, which designs and builds a variety of “extreme” vehicles that are used by the U.S. military, police forces and the mining industry.
After the series premiere last year of their Discovery Channel show, “Black Ops Brothers, Howe & Howe Tech,” the Howes began receiving inquiries from all over the world wondering if they could make a vehicle that would give disabled people the opportunity to do more than they can in a regular wheelchair.
However, the brothers didn’t take up the challenge until they were contacted by Rocky Austin of Augusta, who said after two decades of being confined to a wheelchair he would love to get out into the woods to hunt and fish again.
Mike Howe said Austin’s personal appeal was “very emotional” and that’s why the brothers agreed to make a vehicle that would allow Austin some measure of freedom again.
Their creation, the Ripchair, actually allows the disabled to sit in their own wheelchair while operating the all-terrain vehicle, which can go anywhere, anytime, according to the Howe brothers.
Learn more about the Ripchair and the brothers' ultimate vision of creating a nonprofit adventure park for those living with disabilities. Very cool!
Want to see the Ripchair in action? Have a look!
Janelle
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