Wensday's Story

Want to be inspired to reach new heights? Check out 14-year-old Wensday who was chosen to be on a special edition of Nickelodeon’s - Nick News Adventures (Nick News) in 2008.

The show featured her as well as three other youths in wheelchairs with disabilities. Spina Bifida has paralyzed Wensday from the waist down, and she has had more than 26 surgeries. From Wensday’s point of view, there is nothing different about her except the fact that she uses a wheelchair, one of the things that the show discussed.

Wensday was filmed doing different things. The producer and camera crew interviewed her at home, filmed her shooting a bow, riding a four wheeler, going to the store, and working at her grandma’s bead shop. They spent the next day filming her at school with her friends.

The next leg of the Nick News Adventure show was the actual adventure. Wensday was flown to NASA in Florida where she met Linda Ellerbee and the other show participants.

After everyone got acquainted, they were given instructions on what they were about to do. The show involves sending the kids up on a plane that does parabolic flight maneuvers which result in zero gravity. The company Space Adventures aka Zero G (http://www.gozerog.com) holds a contract with NASA and provides weightless experiences to consumers. To date approximately 5,000 people have been on this amazing aircraft.

Wensday was the first zeronaut with Spina Bifida as well as having the most surgeries to ever be on board a flight.

Linda Ellerbee, Wensday, and the other participants were all filmed during zero gravity. Each child was allowed to bring on one parent, and each kid was assigned two coaches. There was also a doctor on board for emergencies. The parents had to stay in the back behind the cameras, but they got to go weightless too.

The plane flew on October 15, 2008, taking these kids to complete weightlessness where they had no limitations. In fact, Wensday was thrilled because for the first time she was able to stand.

Wensday makes everyone in the Spina Bifida Community so proud.

Watch the video Nick News: “The View from My Chair”
(A Nickelodeon production)

View the Eagle Scout presentation of Tyler Joseph Hayman