Talk about going after the big guns.
At age 16, Matthew Walzer, a young man with Cerebral Palsy (a disorder that impairs control of movement due to damage to the developing brain), wrote to the CEO of Nike (Mark Parker) and asked if Nike could create a running sneaker for disabled athletes.
Walzer states,
“Having my parents tie my shoes at 15, 16, it’s frustrating to me because I’ve always been the type of person, despite having a disability, always want to do everything by myself, for myself.”
Well, guess what? Nike made it happen.
The sneaker, Zoom Soldier 8 Flyease, is now available and retails for $130 dollars.
In order to design the sneaker, Nike used the sneaker designs of Lebron James as a template and designed new technology so that Walzer, as well as many other disabled athletes, can get in and out of the shoes, adjust the shoes, and close the shoes all by himself.
LeBron James states in the Nike release video,
“He inspired us at Nike to be able to bring something special for the masses.”
Walzer received his official pair of sneaks a few weeks back and even better, was able to meet one of the faces behind the design of the shoe- Mr. LeBron James himself.
Talk about a dream come true!
This is what life should be all about, helping others. So meanwhile as teens lick donuts to support Ariana Grande, Nike is doing real sh*t making shoes for a great cause!
Well done Nike. Bravo.
The Coaches' Daughters 