Ryan and Beth Miller have been working late nights and weekends for over a month to get their son’s costume Halloween-ready.
Eight-year-old Jeremy has become famous among friends and family for his elaborate Halloween costumes, built around the wheelchair he’s been using since he was 3 due to spina bifida.
And since their big reveal of this year’s costume, an Ecto-1 from “Ghostbusters” complete with working lights, sirens and speakers, the whole internet has gotten in on the fun.
Advertisement
As an IT Director for an auto group, Jeremy’s dad Ryan has no formal technical training, but he does have access to large boxes that used to house things like engines and windshields.
Advertisement
The family joke is that they can make “anything with PVC, zip ties and cardboard,” Miller told HuffPost.
For Jeremy’s Ecto-1, they also used foam board, wood, bolts and screws, hot glue, wood glue, resin, LED, 6v batteries, wiring, plexiglass, and other random household items like bowls, cups and laundry baskets.
Advertisement
The family’s commitment to Halloween excellence started in 2010, when Jeremy was 2 years old and using a walker. At the last minute, Ryan decided to make a Batmobile to go with Jeremy’s Batman costume.
It was such a hit at their local church’s celebration that the next year, they made a TIE Fighter to go with Jeremy’s Darth Vader costume. (Three-year-old Jeremy was devastated to eventually find out Darth is a bad guy.)
From then on, they wanted to outdo themselves with bigger and better costumes each year, culminating in this year’s “Ghostbusters” costume, which family and friends helped choose.
Advertisement
“One of the main reasons we do these costumes is because Jeremy does use a wheelchair and that means at school and with friends he can get left behind. So this was a way for us to make him the center of attention and help him to shine,” Miller said. “We love the smile that it brings to his face, and he really gets into character when he is in the costumes.”
They also do it to give back to their community. This year, Jeremy took his Ecto-1 costume to visit and cheer up the patients at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, where he has his check-ups. Ryan has also helped other parents build wheelchair costumes, including the frame for a Jurassic Park Jeep. He hopes to eventually host weekend workshops where groups of families can get together to build the wheelchair costumes with volunteers.
“I love how these costumes bring smiles to these kids’ faces and want to try and help others to have the same experience,” he said.
Over the years, Jeremy has had his wheelchair transformed into a pirate ship from “Jake and the Neverland Pirates:”
Advertisement
Mickey Mouse and the Main Street Electrical Parade:
Captain America’s motorcycle:
And a snowspeeder from “Empire Strikes Back:”
When he’s not helping build costumes, Miller is the coach for his son’s wheelchair sports team, which plays basketball, rugby and soccer.
“I love coaching the kids and seeing them push themselves and grow,” he said. “I know how hard they work sometimes because I see how hard Jeremy works. It’s hard not to love the kids. They are the coolest kids, and sports helps them to light up, similar to how these costumes help Jeremy to light up.”
Advertisement
Since the debut of Jeremy’s Ecto-1, he and his family have actually been invited to tour Sony Studios and see the original car from the old and new movies.
Just like everyone else in Jeremy’s life, we can’t wait to see what he’ll dress up as next year.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.