Maceo Meiers, 6, has cerebral palsy. He cannot walk, or say much, and has limited use of his hands and arms. But he makes masterpieces every day with his mom and dad.
His dad, Todd Meiers, has always loved art. One day while working on a painting, he got an idea.
"I looked at Maceo and I asked him if he could help me finish it," Todd describes. "He smiled really big so I put a marker in his hand, and away we went."
The art they've created now fills their home. A constant reminder that in the heartbreak and daily challenges, there's beauty.
"He lights up," says Maceo's mom, Christina. "He smiles and laughs, and his eyes get big when he's doing it. For us, that's everything. There's so many things he's not able to do. This is something he can."
"It helped us bond so much, while also giving him more independence," Todd says. "We decided we wanted to do it for other people."
Todd and Christina got to work. They raised enough money to host a free art class for families who have special needs children.
"We want more kids and families to feel the way we do when we do art together," Todd says. "Everyone can do it. We want to show people in this situation that you're not alone, because it gets really hard sometimes."
Together, they're building a community of support and embracing a new normal, one masterpiece at a time.
The first free art class will be this Saturday from 12-4 p.m. at the Bay View Library. To reserve a seat, visit the Facebook page "Art by Maceo and Dad".
