AUBURN, Wash. — An Auburn teen, who fought cancer since he was a 4-year-old, focused on helping other sick children.
Nick Konkler's creation is now helping sick children across the country.
Konkler spent a lot of time in the hospital—and watched kids and their parents struggle with IV poles.
Trying to move the pole and child in a wagon or wheelchair was cumbersome and difficult.
He saw a platform on the base of an IV pole and thought he could make them for children at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital.
Nick was a senior at Auburn Riverside High School.
He wanted to make the lily pads in shop class but was too sick to go back to school.
He died in February 2015.
Nick’s family worked with the school and students to create 51 lily pads.
Young patients at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital are excited to get to hitch a ride on the IV poles.
"I think it helps them forget about the medical reason why they're here," said Lou Ann League of Mary Bridge Children's Hospital.
Now there are requests for the lily pads from hospitals across the country.
On Thursday Nick's parents saw a little girl using one of the lily pads for the first time.
It brought tears to Christina Konkler's eyes.
"It's really gratifying to see him make an impact like that," said Christina Konkler. “And this from a kid who worried he didn't have an impact."
Vince Konkler said seeing the young patient riding on the lily pad with a pink donut painted on the top made him feel like his son was still here.
"Watching kids that are having struggles and (helping) make things easier—that is what he was truly about. He was a truly compassionate kid," said Vince Konkler.