10-year-old Kentucky student Ryan King's spina bifida makes it difficult for her to participate in school activities. In fact, she uses a wheelchair. Yet, one teacher went beyond his job description to make sure Ryan enjoyed a field trip with her friends.
Normally, when field trips are scheduled at Ryan's school she and her mother, Shelly King, go on alternate adventures put together by the school. "Her school's been really great making [field trips] educational-based for us," King told CBS News.
This is exactly what King thought she and Ryan would have to do when the school announced that her class would be going to Falls of the Ohio. But, Ryan was determined to experience the rugged, hiking terrain with her classmates. So instead of going to a nearby museum, King ordered a special backpack that would allow her to carry Ryan on her back during the trip. Once teacher, Jim Freeman, heard that King planned on carrying Ryan and stepped in to take on the challenge.
"He was like 'Hey, I'll carry her, no big deal," King said. This was a big deal to Ryan because she wanted to be "independent from her mother and be with her friends and be cool." Freeman carried Ryan around for the hour the class hiked the trail which was a relief for King because it was 90 degrees that day.
"That's 50 pounds dead weight, she can't wrap her legs around you," King explained. "Usually I'm used to doing these things for her because I'm a mom and that's what moms do." King posted pictures of Freeman and Ryan on their field trip to her Facebook. The post has since been shared over 1000 times.
