Taking a stand

One young man stood while others around the country sat in protest.

PHOTO: Myron Leggett

Arek Trenholm, 16, of Leesburg, has spina bifida—a condition that impairs the development of the spinal cord—and has been in a wheelchair since he was six.

Even so, Arek is not defined by his disability. He is hailed by his family as a young patriot.

“He has always enjoyed parades and despite his disability, has determined to stand for our national anthem, as well as pledges and salutes to the American flag since he was a little boy,” says Arek’s mother, Deree Trenholm.

Recently, Arek’s Uncle Myron (Myron Leggett), a professional photographer in Leesburg, took a photo of Arek struggling to push himself up by his arms to stand and salute the flag as the Junior ROTC color guard passed him by at the homecoming parade in Leesburg. Myron posted the picture on Facebook to share with family and friends—and 23 billion hits later—his post was viral.

Asked how it felt to be a Facebook celebrity, Arek simply shrugged and smiled. Beyond the notoriety, however, the family had no idea how life-changing Uncle Myron’s picture and post would be.

The story was picked up by ABC News and caught the eye of Raymond Maczik, who immediately brought it to the attention of his brother, David Maczik, founder and president of The Standing Company in Saginaw, Michigan.

“It was moving to see Arek making the effort to do this and I felt he ought to be rewarded,” says David, a veteran of the U.S. Army and Army Reserves, who established his business more than 25 years ago to benefit veterans. The company’s philosophy is about helping people be as independent as possible by standing.

Scott Liesch, a representative for The Standing Company, is a quadriplegic and has been confined to a wheelchair for 15 years. For five years, he has delivered chairs and trained people how to use them for The Standing Company.

“I love my job. Helping other chair users, like Arek, is quite rewarding,” Scott says.

It was obvious receiving the chair was a very important moment for Arek and his mother. The smiles that shone through their tears were a reward for all watching.