Hempfield boy's 'voice' shows the difference charity Variety is making in children's lives

Five years ago, Tyler Winfield received a gift that led to the gift of all gifts: his own voice.

On Wednesday, the 10-year-old Hempfield boy was on hand at PNC Park to exemplify the life-changing differences being made by Variety, the Children’s Charity. The Pine-based nonprofit in 2017 provided Tyler with a specialized iPad that allowed him to communicate with his family at home, first by typing in words and phrases.

The kid once rendered nearly nonverbal by autism today speaks — freely and often, even if after some prodding inside the Home Plate Club at the ballpark on Pittsburgh’s North Shore.

“Last night, we went to the Pens game,” said Tyler, a fourth grader at West Point Elementary School.

“No child should be without a voice,” said Charles LaVallee, founder and CEO of Variety, which on Wednesday presented mobility equipment to Rylie Jenkins of Sewickley, who turns 11 next week, and Sierra Fellion, 21, of New Castle. They were donations Nos. 5,000 and 5,001 made by the group. There are 400 more pieces in the works to get to children, LaVallee said.

Since presenting bike No. 1 on Nov. 5, 2012, the charity has provided children and young people with $7.75 million worth of adaptive equipment for free.

LaVallee said his organization can serve as a model that can be replicated nationwide. Variety has grown from 10 counties to most of Pennsylvania, often working with the system of education intermediate units, including the Westmoreland IU.

“Who would have dreamed it? All we had was an idea,” LaVallee said. “Isn’t this the Pittsburgh we grew up in? Neighbor helping neighbor. … When we come together, we can bring the kind of change we are proud of.”

Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett, who serves as a Variety director at large, helped get a Shaler neighbor help through the organization.

“Five thousand in nine years. That is an amazing statistic,” Corbett said.

State and federal lawmakers should do more to include money in their budgets to provide more adaptive devices to all families who need such equipment, he said. “This can change their entire life.”

It certainly has for the Winfields.

“In all honesty, everything has changed,” said sister Ariel, 16. “Ever since he got the device, I’ve been able to build a better relationship with my brother. He is an inspiration to me. He is my hero.”

Jennifer Winfield said she is not certain her son ever would have developed the ability to speak had he not received his communication device at age 5. It allowed him to become closer to his family, including father Nate and sister Sienna, 12.

“It took so much stress off the family and off of him,” she said.

Soon after getting the specialized iPad, Tyler started saying a few words.

Hi.

Mom.

Love you.

Slowly, his speech started coming.

“Now, he doesn’t even use the device. You wouldn’t know he didn’t use to speak,” his mother said. “If we had waited, I don’t know if he would have found that speech on his own.”