Md. student with cerebral palsy receives new customized wheelchair thanks to classmates

GAITHERSBURG, Md. - A Maryland high school community came together to help a beloved student with athetoid cerebral palsy.

Watkins Mill High School student Ibrahim Samia uses a wheelchair to get around, but he needed a new one after the one that was donated to him by his school six years ago became too small for him and became too worn down.

Initially, the students and staff at Watkins Mill wanted to raise $8,000 to fix his wheelchair. A GoFundMe page was created to raise money for Ibrahim and they ended up raising more than $32,000.

With that money, they decided to get Ibrahim a brand new powered wheelchair for him that he could move and control with his head. He received the customized chair one day before his 20th birthday last week.

On Friday, Ibrahim showed off his new wheels to a large round of applause in front of his fellow classmates at a pep rally held at the high school.

"It gives him a completely new level of independence that he never knew existed," said Watkins Mill teacher Matt Johnson.

"It's pretty cool," said Ibrahim. "I thank the people."

Ibra was born with cerebral palsy, and has had to use a wheelchair his whole life. His current chair is breaking down...