Posted on

A Costume That Stopped Traffic

Man using a whellchair wearing a silver flying saucer costume, black coat, and tan LA hat.

Independent Living Support Stories: Hilton’s Halloween Hover

Independent living support stories often highlight life-changing moments — and sometimes, those moments happen on Halloween.

For Hilton, independent living support meant the opportunity to fully participate in his community, enjoy time with his daughter, and experience the joy of a holiday in a way that felt fun, creative, and inclusive. With support from WILS, Hilton’s idea to transform his wheelchair into a UFO costume became a reality.

How Independent Living Support Turned an Idea Into Reality

Liz, an Independent Living Case Manager, visited Hilton’s home to help fit the UFO costume securely to his wheelchair. Together, they talked through comfort, safety, and appearance. They also agreed that Liz would return on Halloween to add final touches Hilton wanted before heading out.

A Halloween Night to Remember

On Halloween, Hilton rolled through his neighborhood in full UFO mode, drawing smiles and plenty of attention. People stopped to comment on how realistic the costume looked, saying it appeared as though he was hovering down the street.

Even more special, Hilton’s daughter joined in, dressed as a bright green alien with a third eye — making the night a shared family memory.

Little girl dressed as a UFO wearign a silver outfit with her face painted green standing beside her dad, a man using a wheelchair wearing a silver saucer UFO costume.

Hilton shared his experience in his own words:

“I’m grateful to WILS for allowing Liz to help me do the UFO costume. I’m grateful to Liz for picking up the ball and running with it. It turned out amazing. As I was down the streets people said man you look like a UFO and look like you’re hovering down the block. It was awesome. I feel blessed to have you. My little princess made the perfect little alien, all green, with a third eye on her forehead. I got a whole bunch of candy. It’s the year of candy. I love it. I’m very thankful.”

Why Independent Living Support Stories Matter

Independent living support stories like Hilton’s remind us that independence includes joy, creativity, family connection, and community inclusion. At WILS, support means helping people live life on their own terms — whether that’s navigating daily tasks or cruising the neighborhood as a UFO on Halloween night.

Posted on

Meet Our 2025 Empowerment Scholarship Winner: Malena McNeeley

WILS Empowerment Scholarship winner Malena McNeeley. Photo is a headshot taken in front of a gray background. White female teen with blond hair wearing a black shirt and a necklace smiles into the camera.

At WILS, we believe in recognizing and supporting the strength, resilience, and potential of young people with disabilities. That’s why each year we award the WILS Empowerment Scholarship, and we’re thrilled to introduce our 2025 recipient: WILS Empowerment Scholarship winner Malena McNeeley, a senior at Smithton High School.

WILS Empowerment Scholarship winner Malena McNeeley.

Malena will attend State Fair Community College to study International Business. She is diagnosed with dyslexia and dysgraphia, which has added unique challenges to her education journey. Malena often uses speech-to-text tools, Grammarly, and testing accommodations to complete her work. Most importantly, she’s overcome the anxiety that often accompanies her disability.

“A difficulty that I have overcome is the anxiety that comes along with this disability and feeling like I am not good enough,” she shared.

Despite these challenges, Malena has maintained high academic achievement and stayed active in her community. She’s outgoing, creative, and driven by a desire to succeed and make a difference.

“I enjoy cooking and baking because it lets me be creative and challenge myself while treating my family,” she said.
“I enjoy speaking Spanish because it lets me connect with people I might not normally connect with.”

Looking ahead, Malena hopes to work in the corporate world and use her experience to inspire others.

“I want to be able to make an impact on others and encourage those that struggle with a disability to never settle for anything less than achieving your goals.”

“I am deeply honored to be the recipient of this scholarship,” she added. “This scholarship not only helps support my goal of attending college, but it validates my efforts over the years to maintain high academic achievement and community involvement. Thank you for this opportunity.”

The WILS Empowerment Scholarship is a $500 award for high school seniors in Benton, Henry, Johnson, Lafayette, Pettis, or Saline counties who identify as having a disability. Students may self-identify; no documentation is required. The definition follows the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which includes physical or mental impairments that substantially limit major life activities.

To learn more about WILS and upcoming scholarship opportunities, visit our official website at w-ils.org/youth.

Please join us in celebrating WILS Empowerment Scholarship winner Malena McNeeley—we can’t wait to see what she accomplishes next!