Nothing moved battle veteran Brad Soden more than his wife’s tears over the years of trial and error required to design a wheelchair fit for her.
Liz Soden was regularly frustrated about missing out on family hikes and camping holidays with their five children after being largely disabled in a vehicle accident only three months before their wedding.
Brad was determined to do something about it.
Nothing moved battle veteran Brad Soden more than his wife’s tears over the years of trial and error required to design a wheelchair fit for her.
Liz Soden was regularly frustrated about missing out on family hikes and camping holidays with their five children after being largely disabled in a vehicle accident only three months before their wedding.
Brad was determined to do something about it.
“I’m motivated when you make her cry,” Brad stated. “I’ll see to it that it happens.”
Brad, a plumber with no college diploma or engineering experience, overcame several obstacles to create a wheelchair with tank-like treads that are durable enough to work off-road and powerful enough to handle mountain routes.
“We caused a few fires, but because we were nearby, we could put them out fast,” Brad explained.
Consider how the ‘Tankchair’ came to be.
The result was the “Tankchair,” which gave Liz the independence she sought and quickly became Brad’s full-time job.
“That made it possible for me to go trekking and camping,” Liz told Lauer. “When we went to the snow, I used to sit in the car.”
Now I can go outside and chase after my kids and join them. I’m no longer a prisoner in the automobile or at home; I’m just hiking and going out.”
Brad intends to provide free Tankchairs to wounded veterans, but they are not covered by insurance because they are classified as recreational vehicles.
The chair costs between $12,000 and $15,000 and has a top speed of 30 miles per hour, it has proved popular among injured veterans, with a three-month waiting list for a replacement.
