We first met Julian when he was eight-years-old while working through an organization called E-Nable to make a body-powered prosthetic arm for him. Body-powered prosthetics are a cheaper alternative to electric arms, relying on specific movements that offer a limited range of basic functions. Julian previously had an electric arm but outgrew it and couldn’t afford another, so we offered to make one for him.

“When I was born, my left arm was not fully developed. It stopped just below my elbow. When I was little, I didn’t know what problems that might cause me, but as I got older I started to understand what I would and would not be able to do. I learned that every new place I would go, someone would come up to me and ask, ‘What happened to your arm?’

Most of the time I don’t notice it, but dealing with one arm can be hard at times. I’d be outside with my friends watching them play on the monkey bars, which as you might guess, I can’t do with one hand – or I’d be in gym class watching my class do push-ups, and I can’t do those either, but aside from that I could do anything the other kids could do. But as I continued to get older and started doing more grown-up things, like cooking, yardwork or making things, I really started noticing things that were hard to do with one hand. I realized I can’t hold a potato while I try to peel it. Or when I’m working in the yard I can’t hold a weed wacker safely. Or when I build stuff, I can’t hold a screw in place while screwing it in. I keep finding more and more reasons to have two hands.

When I was younger, my family and I decided to try getting a prosthetic arm. We went to a place and they made me an arm. I did not like it. I thought it would be a really cool electrical robotic arm, but it was just something around my arm with a strap wrapped around my shoulder and was painful to move. It also was not useful. And just to move it, you have to use your whole shoulder. Well, that went on for several years.

About two years ago, we heard about some students at U of M working on a robotic prosthetic arm. We went there, got to know everybody, measured my arm and it was a lot of fun. The team is still working on new prosthetic, but it’s still a lot of fun hanging out and talking with the group. One of the people who led the group let me ride his hoverboard. A programmer named Max was a lot of fun to hang out with, and several times he went running with me. Another guy named Daniel came to Thanksgiving with my family and me. All the students make me feel special and important. I can’t wait to get the new arm this Fall and I hope COVID lets me see all my friends again.

I just want to thank everybody on the team for helping me with my condition. It means a lot to me. One thing I’ve learned is no matter what condition you’re in, never give up. Don’t ever let your disability stop you from doing what you love most. You Got This!!!”