4-year-old girl receives prosthetic hand thanks to Cincinnati students
Some engineering students at the University of Cincinnati, who design 3D printed prosthetics, are getting a lesson in cause and effect that none of them expected.
It comes after seeing the reaction of a 4-year-old girl who received a mechanical hand from the group.
"This is amazing it can do that. It's the best," said Alice Kurylo, who looked at the hand as if it made her a superhero.
Alice was so excited after she opened a drawer with the new hand, she did a pirouette.
"It was really emotional for all of us," said Alice's mother, Jackie Kurylo.
Jackie posted video of her daughter on social media. One of the first things Alice wanted to do with her mechanical hand was to touch the hand of her soon-to-be stepfather.
"It was just a beautiful moment," Jackie said. "When she went over and grabbed his hand, it was emotional. It was the sweetest thing."
The hand was made by a nonprofit group of UC students called Enable UC.
"I don't think they realized the impact it would have had on this almost 5-year-old little girl and her family and friends," Jackie said.
"I was just seeing Alice with the prosthetic on her arm, the look on her face. I was, like, 'I just can't believe that's what came of this,'" said Enable UC project manager Jackson Romelli.
The students who custom-make the prosthetics, which are printed out on a 3D printer, are from all disciplines, but most have taken some engineering classes.
Alice's reaction was so genuine and spontaneous, it affected everyone who worked on the project.
"It was surreal. You can't make that level of happiness. You can't buy that," Romelli said. "It really reminded me what it's all about, why I'm doing this, why I'm putting in so many hours to understand the process."
Another girl who got a mechanical hand from Enable UC is throwing out the first pitch at the Red's game Friday night.
Anyone who buys a ticket through Enable UC will help raise money for the organization.