Darth Vader Had a Prosthetic Hand. Thanks to 3D Printing, This Boy Does Too.
Liam Porter got much more than popcorn and a soda with his movie at Regal 20 Cinemas last Saturday when a group of Star Wars characters presented him with his brand new left arm and hand, The Augusta Chronicle reported. The prosthetic was created to look just like the arm of an Imperial Stormtrooper.
Liam, a 7-year-old from Augusta, Georgia, was born without part of his left arm. When John Peterson heard about e-NABLE, a group of volunteers who use 3D printing to create prosthetic arms and hands for kids, he began working on a trooper-inspired arm for Liam. He printed it in the classic black and white, and then presented it to him at the movie theater alongside Darth Vader’s 501st Legion, a group of Star Wars enthusiasts who do good deeds while dressed in costume.
Liam tried on his brand new RIT arm, a prosthetic designed for people with an elbow but no forearm, in the video below and was able to make a fist and pick up a cup immediately.
Watch Liam test out his trooper arm for the very first time in the video below.
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Rachel Kassenbrock is an Associate Editor at The Mighty. She recently graduated from the College of Wooster with a degree in English, and has previously written for the Ms. magazine blog and LifeinLA.com. She now lives in Los Angeles where she enjoys live music, being outside and all things coffee-related. You can follow her at @rkassenbrock or email her at rachel@themighty.com.
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