SALEM, MASS. (WHDH) - A Salem girl’s Halloween dream is coming true this year.
Eleven-year-old Savannah Smith is participating in Salem’s annual Haunted Happenings Parade for the first time, and will be decked out in a costume custom-fitted to her wheelchair inspired by her favorite TV show, “The Voice.”
“I was in tears because it was that kind of moment for me,” Savannah’s mom Lacey Smith said. “Just overwhelming. The people that step up for our daughter all the time, it’s just amazing.”
Savannah lives with a severe mutation of Ogden syndrome, a rare neurodevelopmental disorder that affects fewer than 100 people in the world.
She is also legally blind, so the team of 16 that created the costume from two companies, SOLIDWORKS and Magic Wheelchair, incorporated lots of auditory elements.
“We worked really hard on it. We started working on it in July and finished it now,” said Sara Zuckerman, who helped create the costume. “It plays music, it has all these lights on it, we can make it say ‘I want you!’ or ‘Happy Halloween’ or ‘Team Savannah.'”
The costume comes complete with lights and speakers, and is customized to meet her medical needs. Savannah’s dad said he’s thankful to everyone who pitched in on the costume for his daughter.
“It’s pretty amazing,” Mark Smith said. “These guys put in a ton of hours. I was expecting something pretty awesome because I’ve seen their previous costumes, but they really knocked this one out of the park.”
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