Engineering Students Build Life-Changing Wheelchair That Helps Paralyzed Student Return To The Outdoors

March 19, 2026

After a devastating accident left college student Vhan McGuire paralyzed, a team of engineering students stepped in with an incredible solution—building a custom all-terrain wheelchair that’s giving him the freedom to explore the outdoors again.

Credit: Tennessee Tech University

McGuire, an architecture student, had always loved hiking, camping, and spending time in nature. But a motorcycle accident in October 2024 changed everything, limiting where he could go and what he could do.

“A regular wheelchair struggles on any surface that isn’t hard and flat,” McGuire said.

Then, a chance introduction changed everything.

A friend connected him with a group of engineering students at Tennessee Tech University who were searching for a meaningful, real-world challenge.

That’s when Braden Hopper, John Avery, and Luke White decided to take on something special. Together, they built a custom all-terrain wheelchair they call “The Chariot.”

The result is nothing short of incredible—a rugged, powerful chair designed to handle outdoor terrain and bring back the freedom McGuire thought he had lost.

Now, instead of watching life from the sidelines, he’s back outside doing what he loves.

“Now, having a piece of equipment that can go anywhere — and that I feel comfortable with — is a blessing,” McGuire said. “This gets me back to what I loved doing and how I loved living before my accident.”

Perhaps he summed it up best with just a few powerful words: “It gives me back my legs.”

What began as a class assignment became a life-changing gift—proving that a little ingenuity and compassion can go a long way in helping someone reclaim their world.