In late November, Who Is Carter, in partnership with filmmaker Isaac Alongi, had the opportunity to capture a couple of days in the life of Laird Murfey, a remarkable boy who is a writer, musician, athlete, and cook--despite the fact that Cerebral Palsy prevents him from walking or speaking without assistance.

Laird gets around the way you might expect: In a wheelchair. But Laird also gets around on skis. And on a surfboard. And at age ten, he recently took his first steps unassisted. His mother Melissa’s response to this milestone?

“Never give up hope.”

Laird is unable to speak using his voice, but he makes himself heard by using a Tobii device: a computer that uses eye gaze technology to track his eye movements, so he can compose sentences, stories, and even songs.

Laird’s compositions—and his clever Halloween costume design—have even caught the attention of musician Adam Levine.

As Isaac Alongi and his team work to edit the moments they captured into a documentary about Laird’s life, the Who Is Carter team is dreaming about a series of documentaries—films about kids like Laird, who embrace life in a wheelchair and communication through adaptive technology as a unique privilege, not a limitation. We want other kids and families to picture the possibilities available to them, and to know that they are not alone as they advocate for the chance for their kids to just be kids.

Who Is Carter is honored to announce that Laird will be the keynote speaker at the Third Annual Who Is Carter Gala, taking place in Kansas City on October 23, 2020. You won’t want to miss hearing from this remarkable boy who doesn’t let limitations keep him from inspiring everyone he meets!