DELAWARE, Ohio — Eight-year-old Blake Mompher and his parents Eric and Megan are known not only in the neighborhood but across the country for Blake’s creative Halloween costumes.
“We like to incorporate his wheelchair since that’s kinda part of him into his costume so that people can recognize who he is and he gets a kick out of it.,” says Eric Mompher.
Blake went viral three years ago with a custom-designed school bus costume, and again last year when he gained the attention of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.
Let’s just say the company showed its appreciation to the Mompher family.
“We also did get a year supply of mac and cheese and Buckeye tickets, but the donations to (Nationwide) Children’s Hospital was really cool for our family because he’s 8 years old, he’s had over 30 surgeries so, Children’s Hospital is kind of a home away from home,” says Eric Mompher.
For this year’s costume, Blake has always enjoyed watching the weather so it was only fitting he go as a TV weather forecaster.
“We thought lets figure out a way to have him be a weather man. So we asked him if he’d want to do that, he said yes, so we went for it.,” says Megan Mompher.
And despite battling through the obstacles that come along with spina bifida, the Momphers, who have three other children, continue to remain inspired by Blake’s energy and positive attitude.
“He’s been a blessing to our lives. He’s taught us a lot more about ourselves. And he just wants the same thing any other kids wants — accessibility, happiness and to be loved and cared for and not be treated differently,” says Eric Mompher.
The CDC says about 1,400 babies are born with spina bifida in the U.S. each year.
Thanks to modern medicine, about 90 percent of babies live to be adults and most live to full lives.
