Children’s Book Starring Sam & Ryan

I’ve been working on a series of children’s books starring Sam and me—stories rooted in our real-life friendship and the adventures we’ve shared together. Many of the books are inspired by places we’ve actually been, like hiking to Delicate Arch or exploring the Narrows in Zion. These experiences showed us firsthand how powerful access, determination, and friendship can be.

At the same time, I’ve also been creating adventures fueled purely by imagination. Those stories ask a simple question: Where else could Sam and Ryan go if anything were possible?

The first book in the series is “Sam & Ryan Visit the Moon.” In this story, a younger version of Sam and me take adventure to its limit—strapping rockets to Sam’s wheelchair and blasting off into space. It’s a fun, playful, and educational journey that mixes science, curiosity, and creativity, while still staying true to who we are and what we believe: that everyone deserves to dream big and explore without limits.

The Dedication

He passed away on November 26, 2025—the day before Thanksgiving—after a sudden and tragic accident at home. His loss came quickly and unexpectedly, and it changed everything.

Before the book was published, I was able to read an early version to him while he was in the hospital. Sharing that moment together—reading the story aloud, knowing he could hear it—has become one of my most cherished memories. I’m deeply grateful I had that time with him.

His passing also explains why this book wasn’t released in time for the 2025 Christmas season. Grief has a way of quieting even the most focused mind. For a while, my thoughts slowed, my momentum disappeared, and I simply couldn’t move things forward the way I had planned.

In the end, that pause became part of the story too. This book exists because of love, family, friendship, and the moments we don’t always know will be our last. Dedicating it to my father felt like the most meaningful way to honor him.

The Illustrations

When it came time to illustrate this book, I explored a wide range of options, including experimenting with several different AI illustration models. AI has come a long way, and in many cases it can do an impressive job creating colorful, engaging artwork for children’s books. I genuinely believe AI will continue to play a role in creative storytelling.

That said, I quickly ran into a challenge that really mattered to me.

The Extreme Motus all-terrain wheelchair that Sam uses isn’t just a background detail—it’s a core part of our story and our real-life adventures. The chair has a very specific design, scale, and function, and despite many attempts, the AI models consistently missed important details or simplified the chair in ways that didn’t reflect reality. Accuracy mattered. This book is inspired by real people and real experiences, and I wanted the illustrations to respect that authenticity.

Because of that, I decided to work with a human illustrator who could study reference photos, ask thoughtful questions, and intentionally capture what makes our adventures possible. I turned to Upwork.com and was fortunate to find a talented illustrator named Nguyen Mai Nhat. From the beginning, Nguyen took the time to understand the story, the equipment, and the tone of the book.

The result was exactly what I hoped for—illustrations that feel warm, playful, and imaginative, while still staying true to the real-world details that matter. Nguyen’s artwork helped bring Sam and Ryan Visit the Moon to life in a way that honors both the fantasy of the story and the reality behind it.

This collaboration reminded me that while technology can be an incredible tool, there are moments—especially when telling personal, meaningful stories—where human creativity and attention to detail make all the difference.

A Motus on the Moon

The story begins on a quiet night, with Sam and Ryan peering up at the moon through a telescope. As they study its craters and shadows, questions start to bubble up. What does the moon feel like? How high can you jump? What does Earth look like from up there? Is it really made of cheese?

Instead of searching for answers online, the boys decide to do what they do best—go on an adventure and find out for themselves.

They gather supplies, build homemade space suits, and attach rockets to Sam’s all-terrain wheelchair. With a countdown, a burst of imagination, and a whole lot of courage, Sam and Ryan blast off toward the moon, ready to explore, learn, and discover together.

The story for this children’s book begins with the boys looking at the moon through a telescope. They have a few questions they want answered, and rather than search for them on the internet, they decide to go and see for themselves.

So they make some homemade space suits, craft some rockets to Sam’s all-terrain wheelchair, and blast off on a space adventure.

Why a Children’s Book?

Sam and I have built an incredible community of loyal supporters across our social media platforms over the years. What started as simple videos of us spending time together has grown into something much bigger. We share our adventures to educate, to inspire, and to challenge assumptions about what life with a disability can look like. At the same time, this work is our livelihood. Creating thoughtful, meaningful content takes time, resources, and a deep commitment to doing it right.

Our goal has always been to show the world that, with the right adaptive equipment and the right support, people with disabilities can be fully included in the very best our country has to offer. That includes the breathtaking places most people only see in postcards—the overlooks at the end of a long trail, the quiet moments deep inside State and National Parks, and the sense of accomplishment that comes from getting somewhere many assume is off-limits.

Our all-terrain wheelchair business has grown and succeeded because it solves a real problem for real people. But we also know that many of the people who follow our journey online will never personally need the equipment we build. They still cheer us on, share our videos, and believe in what we’re trying to do.

This book is our way of inviting those supporters into the adventure in a new way. It gives them the chance to be part of the mission, to support inclusive access, and to help us continue telling stories that matter—stories about friendship, curiosity, and belonging. Sam and Ryan Visit the Moon is just the beginning. It’s the first of many adventures we hope to share, both on the page and out in the world.

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