Serving Henderson,
Nevada, including Anthem, Green Valley & Lake Las Vegas Communities
June 27 - July 3, 2013
Barbera:
rising grape
of Piedmont
13
~bt Henoersen llttssO
News & Politics - Lifestyle - Food & Drink
- Arts & Culture
- Local Sport & Personalities
Averting
tragedy
Vol. 4. No. 26
Seeing with
'Eagle Eyes'
Local boy living with
cerebral palsy is first
in area to benefit from
innovative technology
Demonstration of mock
drowning teaches local
kids rules of pool safety
By Buford Davis
By Michelle Cutler
THP
THP
A tuft of dark hair and a bright blue
swimsuit hang at the water's surface
as the shrill bleat from a lifeguard's
whistle suspends normal activity at the
municipal pool.
Nine year old Tyler has never
been able to ask for a drink when
thirsty. He has never been able to
tell his parents that he loves them.
He has never learned to count or
read. He has never even recognized
the relationship between cause and
effect until a few months ago when
he started using Eagle Eyes, an
electronic system that tracks eye
movement like a computer mouse.
Born with cerebral palsy, Ty ler
is paralyzed
and communicates
only by vague facial expressions,
ambiguous sounds and, occasionally, tears. His dedicated parents
Mike and Kristy Tilton hope the
innovative technology will improve
his ability to interact with the world
around him.
Two lifeguards work efficiently to
remove the small, limp body from the
water and begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Children watch silently from
the scene's perimeter as the minutes tick
by and firefighter paramedics anive and
take over from the lifeguards.
There are faint signs of life from the
child on the stretcher, engulfed by the
dark clad paramedics, a surreal reversal
image of crows pecking at carrion, The
boy's mother stands only a few feet
away, clutching a younger child. She is
quiet, seemingly emotionless. Shock can
evoke that behavior. So can a simulation.
"I'm supposed to pretend to drown,
and that's it," said eight-year-old Ricky
D'Angelo, who is participating in the
city's Junior Lifeguard program, and
was asked to play the part of victim
for the June 17 mock drowning at the
Henderson Multigenerational Center.
"I'm slightly, slightly nervous."
Drowning is the single leading cause
of accidental death in children under
four years of age. 'Safe Pools Rule' is
a safety education campaign conducted
by Henderson Fire Department and
Henderson Professional Firefighters, the
Bufon! Davis ITHP
Just pretend, but deadly serious. Henderson firefighter paramedics demonstrate resuscitation procedures on volunteer victim Ricky D'Angelo, 8, during
a mock drowning at the Henderson Multigenerational
Center June 17. "I'm
slightly, slightly nervous:' said D'Angelo prior to the presentation.
Southern Nevada chapter ofthe American Red Cross, the City of Henderson
Park and Recreation Department and
RockStar Pool care.
The mock drowning at the center's
---------~
.,.
,
'
.
outside training pool was witnessed by
more than 100 children from the city's
SafeKey program.
"This is an absolutely
+continued
horrible,
on PAGE 5
"To see Tyler using this device
and thinking of the possibilities is
indescribable,"
said Kristy. "The
thought of him being able to tell
me what is hurting when he Gries
or that he loves me or evenjust 'hi
mom' is beyond words."
--continued
on PAGE
II
The Henderson
Press • June 27 - July 3,2013
COMMUNITY·
II
EAGLEconttnuedfrom
PAGE I
The Tiltons are the first in the
area to acquire Eagle Eyes, and
the Hendergasques feel fortunate
to be one of only 40 families and
organizations currently using the
system across the country.
The award-winning system uses
electrodes attached to the face to
translate eye movement into computer cursor activity and enable
hands-free navigation through
Microsoft Windows-based programs projected onto a television
screen. Medical experts consider
Eagle Eyes ideal for people of all
ages who have limited mobility
as a result of conditions such as
stroke, traumatic brain injury,
Michelle Cuder ITHP
Rett syndrome, spinal muscular
Tyler Tilton is rewarded with a Star Wars video after focusing his eyes on a spaceship target. This exercise is
atrophy, severe cerebral palsy and teaching him how to use the Eagle Eyes system in preparation for more advanced programs.
neurological disorders.
"Tyler picked up on it immedi- plish something they formerly never
ately," said Kristy, "and it was just
imagined possible - an academic
so exciting to see
education.
him be able to do The thought of him being
"There's a story
it and to succeed. able to tell me what is hurting that I read online
It's crazy how fast when he cries or that he loves of a kid who ache did it .... And me or even JUs
. t 'hiI mom ,. IS tually graduated
then we hooked
from a typical high
beyond words.
Mike up and he
school using this,"
- Kristy Tilton
kind of struggled
said Kristy. "It's
with it."
so amazing and
"Actually, his disability is his encouraging and exciting!"
advantage with this," said Mike
"So many of these kids that we
Tilton, "because it only detects eye work with are so bright, they're just
Michelle Cutler ITHP
Kristy Tilton with her sons. Tyler has electrodes attached to his eye area
movement. (Able people instinclocked in bodies that don't work,"
to work the Eagle Eyes program.
tively turn their heads to look at said Debbie Inckley, Executive
something, doing more work with Director and founder ofthe Opportuwith everything that is needed to schools nationwide that the techtheir necks than with their eyes.) nity Foundation ofAmerica (OFOA), facilitate it - from the software and nology is available and affordable.
Tyler has such limited movement
the nonprofit organization currently hardware to the alcohol swabs and
For more information on Eagle
that he moves his eyes more than producing Eagle Eyes. "It's not a batteries - to only $1,200."
Eyes and/or to arrange donations
his head and that's what this system magic answer ... but it's a fabulous
Inckley, whose nonprofit founda- vi sit opportunityfoundati
onodetects. I had to re- -_' tool that begins to
tion hopes to improve quality oflife
famerica.org or contact Inckley
ally concentrate on It's not a magic answer ... but open these kids'
for severely disabled people, hopes directly at debbieinkley@ofoa.net
holding my head it's a fabulous tool that begins worlds."
to spread the word to families and or 801.231.6691.
absolutely still to open these kids' worlds.
Though many
and watching it
- Debbie Inckley investors
have
completely with
encouraged the
my eyes."
developer to produce the system
The Tiltons enjoy watching Tyler for lucrative profit, the OFOA
progress through the baby steps that manufactures and distributes the
are enabling him to communicate.
system at minimal cost.
"We have been waiting 10years to
"Most of the technology that is
hear him say his first words," Kristy out there for profoundly disabled
said, "and I can see it getting closer people is $15,000 to $25,000 and
every time he uses Eagle Eyes."
most of these families can't afford
They also hope that the program that," Inckley explained, "so we
will eventually help Tyler accom- have kept the Eagle Eye system