Matthew Walzer Nike shoe -Youtube

When a teenager with cerebral palsy wrote to Nike requesting a shoe he could put on himself, the company decided to ‘Just Do It’.

When he was 16 years old, Matthew Walzer asked the athletic apparel company to develop a shoe for people like him with disabilities, who have trouble tying shoelaces.

To his surprise, a 23-year-old Nike product manager called, saying that he, too, has cerebral palsy and a passion for sports. As GNN reported in 2012, Nike’s designers were inspired by the young man’s letter, and worked with Matthew for the next few years on a lace-free prototype that he could easily slide on and off. The footwear features a wrap-around enclosure that opens the back of the shoe for those with limited hand function.Eric LeGrand Twitter Pic

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“When I put the shoes on every morning, they give the greatest sense of independence and accomplishment I have ever felt in my life,” Matthew replied to Nike.

The new design also includes the same ankle support as Nike’s Lebron James’s line – Matthew’s favorite NBA basketball player.

Later this month, Nike will outfit U.S. basketball teams participating in the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games with the new Zoom Soldier 8 FLYEASE shoes.

The shoes hit the market mid-July, just in time for Matthew to bring multiple pairs of the kicks back to his friends at college.

(WATCH the video below) – Photos: YouTube, Nike

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