The Founder of Wheeling Images Hello, I’m Ted Beatty, founder of Wheeling Images company. I am a disabled Navy veteran. I lost my arm as a result of being electrocuted in May of 1961. While on duty, working on a power pole, I hit a hot line with 2400 volts, 60 amps and fell 60 feet to the ground. After spending nine months in hospitals and going through extensive rehabilitation, I returned to school, entered the civilian work force, married, and raised a family. Over the years I’ve spent a great deal of time with handicapped children and adults in hospitals, which lead to “the dream”.

The Dream

After the many years of exposure to people with disabilities, I had a dream. The dream was in Technicolor - it was a wheelchair that looked like a hot rod. The wheelchair shell was being used by children and adults alike and it brought great smiles to their faces.

The Idea

When I awoke from my dream, I was inspired. Immediately I went to the store and purchased several coloring books, a plastic car model, a bulldozer model and some pipe cleaners. At home I made a model wheelchair from the pipe cleaners and attached the front portion of a car model to it. I phoned my cousin (a talented artist), told her about my dream and sent her the model. After several months and countless sketches, several vehicle designs emerged. Four prototypes materialized: a fire engine, a flower car, a diesel truck and a hot rod. The drawings were then shown to several people, both inside and outside the physically challenged community and I received positive feedback and a wealth of encouragement.

Pass It On…

Once the ball was rolling I had an extraordinary experience. On a trip to Northern California, I was taking pictures at Pigeon Point Lighthouse. I encountered a gentleman who asked me, “Are you the one?” to which I replied “Am I the one what?” The gentleman, an 82 year old New Zealander and photography instructor in Santa Cruz, California indicated that he had had a dream that morning in which he learned that he was going to meet a man working on a project to help children and that he was to tell him the phrase “Pass It On!” This validation was all the encouragement I needed to go full steam ahead with my project.

The Present

Wheeling Images became a company in January of 2004. The first prototypes were created in May of the same year. There are currently five designs available for purchase (fire truck, diesel truck, flower power car, hot rod, luxury car). A percentage of every Wheeling Images purchase goes toward children’s charities.

The Future

Wheeling Images plans to add more designs to their collection, as well as increase the types of wheelchairs that can accommodate the vehicle shells.

Thank You

The support and love of his wife, children, and family, plus countless friends and partners in the community have been essential in making this dream a reality. Today the motto for Wheeling Images Company is “Smile…Pass it On…” and we hope you do.

The rest of the story is in GOD’S hands.