Boy, 10, Born With No Arms, Legs Needs Help Getting Wheelchair-Accessible Van

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A 10-year-old boy born with no arms or legs needs a new wheelchair accessible van, and is looking for support from the community.

Aaron Negrete has a rare syndrome called tetra-amelia syndrome, but he doesn't let his disability stop him. But his mother's old, worn out van might.

His single mother, Juanita, works two jobs to support her family.

Despite being born with no arms or legs, Negrete isn't much different than most kids his age. He uses his foot to play video games, and his mouth to draw and write.

"I never look at problems the wrong way," he said. " I don't say, 'Well, I can't do this, so I'm not going to succeed at it.' I try until I find a way."

His mother uses a 20-year-old special wheelchair accessible van to take Aaron and his little brother to school every day. But it's very old, and breaks down often, and she doesn't have the money to replace it.

After so many repairs, it was the family's mechanic who decided to nominate Aaron in an online contest as part of Mobility Awareness Month. The winner gets a brand-new wheelchair accessible van, which gets Aaron pretty excited.

"It would mean a lot to me," he said. "I need it because I can go places. If I couldn't go places, I wouldn't have that much fun and stuff."

Just like any 10-year-old, Aaron loves to have fun, and is an inspiration to many, which is why his mother says he deserves a new van so much.

"He's a very optimistic kid. He's a fighter," she said. "He doesn't give up, he's always happy."

The contest ends May 9.