Wheelchair Costume Keeps Effie Included at Halloween
Chattanooga father Chris Nesin has made his daughter's wheelchair a Halloween costume for eight straight years.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Special Needs
Chattanooga father Chris Nesin has transformed his daughter Effie's wheelchair into a Halloween costume for the eighth straight year. The tradition is aimed at letting Effie take part in the holiday alongside other children.
Why it matters
For families of children who use wheelchairs, Halloween can feel like a day of exclusion rather than celebration. Creative, adaptive costumes are one way families keep children with disabilities included in community traditions.
This is a family-reported tradition rather than a formal study, documented across eight consecutive Halloween seasons. The accounts describe specific past costumes, including Thomas the Tank Engine and a front-loader worn during a celebration at Siskin Children's Institute.
The players
Siskin Children's Institute
A Chattanooga-area institute serving children with disabilities, where Effie took part in a past front-loader-costume Halloween celebration.
The details
Chris Nesin builds each costume by turning Effie's wheelchair into a character or imaginative creation, so the chair itself becomes part of the costume rather than something to be covered up. The approach keeps Effie seated in her own mobility device while she joins the festivities. The family describes the goal as making sure Effie is included, celebrated, and able to enjoy the holiday with other children.
Timeline
Chris Nesin has created the costume for eight consecutive Halloweens.
The most recent costume was unveiled on October 31, 2026.
Health Landscape
Adaptive and inclusive holiday traditions sit within the broader effort to make community events accessible to children with physical disabilities. This story reflects a personal, family-driven approach rather than a clinical or policy development.
Families of children who use wheelchairs can consider how holiday and community activities might be made more inclusive, including adaptive or creative approaches. Caregivers who want support planning such activities may find it worthwhile to discuss options with their child's care team.
The takeaway
Inclusion for children with disabilities often comes from small, consistent choices, like making a wheelchair part of the celebration. Families looking for adaptive holiday ideas can ask their child's therapists or care team for local resources.
Further reading
For more on family support and inclusion, explore our Special Needs section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WTVCFOX.
