Credit: Bernice Hyatt
A schoolboy born with no left hand can finally safely ride his bike after £13k was raised for an Iron Man-style bionic arm.
Jacob Hyatt, seven, was born without his left hand and, while it didn't hold him back, he had a go with a high-tech prosthetic last year - and fell in love.
But the custom made limb cost £13,000 and his mum Bernice Hyatt, 33, shared a fundraising page online in the hope kind donors could make her son’s dream come true.
Jacob, from Eaton Bray, Beds., was finally able to pick up his superhero-themed arm from Open Bionics last month after the target was met.
And Bernice has told how her son now is "over the moon" - and is keen to high-five anyone he meets.
The youngster also got a new bike for Christmas and can finally go out cycling with his friends without wobbling or worrying about falling off anymore.
A schoolboy born with no left hand can finally safely ride his bike after £13k was raised for an Iron Man-style bionic arm.
Jacob Hyatt, seven, was born without his left hand and, while it didn't hold him back, he had a go with a high-tech prosthetic last year - and fell in love.
But the custom made limb cost £13,000 and his mum Bernice Hyatt, 33, shared a fundraising page online in the hope kind donors could make her son’s dream come true.
Jacob, from Eaton Bray, Beds., was finally able to pick up his superhero-themed arm from Open Bionics last month after the target was met.
And Bernice has told how her son now is "over the moon" - and is keen to high-five anyone he meets.
The youngster also got a new bike for Christmas and can finally go out cycling with his friends without wobbling or worrying about falling off anymore.
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00 I've always raised Jacob to be confident, just to kind of know that the difference is there,
00:05 but it's also unique and to celebrate that.
00:08 At the trial it was amazing. He was so excited. We walked in and there was like hero arms
00:19 everywhere, all over the walls, on the stands. Some of the people who worked there had hero arms.
00:25 I felt very happy and excited at the same time.
00:29 And the guy we met was amazing. Jacob was full of confidence. He sat at the desk,
00:34 like almost like man to man at the desk. I just kind of sat back. He was listening to everything.
00:39 He understood, you know, the mechanical side of the arm, what certain parts were made of,
00:45 and also the trial where he started to move the fingers. He just did it straight away.
00:51 It was amazing. And the consultant who we met just said straight away, he's ready. Let's do this now.
00:58 I felt so excited. I was screaming.
01:01 And who are you going to be?
01:01 I am Maggie.
01:04 On the way back from collecting it in Bristol, we had stopped at a petrol station and he was like,
01:12 "I'll come in with you." And he did. And he walked, he strutted out with his arm,
01:16 hoping that people would see. And it was just, the confidence was amazing.
01:21 And as a mum, it's incredible to watch. Having the Hero Arm, it has definitely
01:27 made some things easier. For example, like holding two things at a time, playing with his Lego.
01:34 So I kept trying stuff that I couldn't do and then I was able to do it because
01:38 if you keep practicing, you can do it then after.
01:43 So I can do the OK sign and there was a thumbs up one.
01:50 My favourite thing to do is to go on it with a bike.
01:54 How's it feel?
01:55 Perfect.
01:56 You got more balance? Does it feel good? Does it feel better?
01:59 It feels better.
02:00 So it has definitely made him more able and capable, but he's still learning. This is
02:08 still learning. Obviously, he has to kind of relearn to have two hands. So it's a process,
02:14 but he's doing really well and it's definitely helped him in a lot of ways.
02:17 I've always raised Jacob to be confident from a very young age, just to kind of walk into a room
02:24 and be like, I'm here, everyone look at me. And also to know that the difference is there,
02:31 but it's also unique and to celebrate that and to kind of put it out so everybody can see.
02:36 I think it's important as well to raise your children to be confident and to be able to
02:43 kind of hold a room, especially with Jacob because of his difference. I think that was
02:47 important and it definitely has worked because he's very confident.
02:53 Any room I guess he does go into is always remembered.
03:00 [END]