Home Depot heroes build walker for toddler with muscle condition

Home Depot offered more than building supplies to Logan Moore.

The 2-year-old has a condition called hypotonia, which weakens his muscles and leaves him unable to walk on his own. Unsure if insurance would cover a child-size walker for Logan, his parents Christian and Justin Moore found a DIY solution online: PVC pipes.

The Moores headed to the local Home Depot in Cedartown, Ga., a small town 70 miles Northwest of Atlanta on the Alabama border, to find the parts. When they arrived, Fox 26 News reports, the family asked store associates to help them find the materials, and shared the instructions with the staff.

“So today a lady and her mother and husband came in telling us that the insurance company may or may not pay for their little boys walker so they went on the internet and found plans to make one out of PVC pipe,” wrote Home Depot associate Jeffrey Anderson on Facebook.

After reading through the list, the store manager and his employees told the Moores to “go and enjoy ice cream and come back in an hour.” While Logan’s parents took a break, Anderson says even more staff joined in, so by the time the family returned their walker was complete.

“Everyone was crying to see Logan walk around with the biggest smile on his face,” says Anderson. “When the family tried to pay us we said, ‘No way this one is on us.’ ”

The story has now gone viral, and social media is reacting with applause for Home Depot while slamming insurance companies.

“It’s awesome that the Home Depot employees did this,” tweeted Massachusetts congressman Seth Moulton. “It’s horrifying that they had to.”

“In the richest country in the world, disabled children have to rely on charity because for-profit insurance won’t pay for a walker?,” wrote journalist Helen Kennedy on Twitter. “This is not ‘AWESOME.’ ”

“America’s favorite healthcare provider is GoFundMe and Home Depot,” quipped California-based brand developer Jason Wong.

Now, Logan has a back-up walker, as Jeffrey later confirmed that they would be getting a proper walker after all.

“Thank to all that help and for being a blessing to this family and to this little guy,” says Anderson.