‘My Brother Loves Me a Lot’

The wonders of 3D technology — and its ability to help people in need — never cease.

A six-year-old child who was born without a left hand has received the gift of a new one, courtesy of an enterprising older brother, a dedicated high school teacher, and today’s gee-whiz technology.

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The teenager and the teacher worked together to create a prosthetic hand for the child using a 3D printer, according to a report in The Associated Press.

In Sterling, Virginia, Gabriel Filippini, 16 years old, approached his technology teacher at Park View High School with an urgent request. His little brother, a first grader, was born with no left hand, he explained — and perhaps they could use the 3D printer in the classroom to create a new limb for him.

The six-year-old was able to do nearly everything other kids could do. He was able to zip up his jackets, go bike riding, and even grip the monkey bars on the local playground by using his palm, AP noted.

But the older brother wasn’t satisfied with that.

“I wanted to see what he could do with two hands,” Gabriel Filippini said.

So the teacher, Kurt O’Connor, essentially said, “Why not?”

The two dug in to help the child. They received free designs for the hand from a group called Enabling the Future, a network of volunteers and experts who use 3D printing to create prosthetic hands for those who need them. To date, the group has delivered approximately 1,800 hands to children around the globe.

Related: 10 Epic 3D Printed Wonders

Another outfit, Makersmiths of Leesburg, Virginia, a non-profit focused on innovation, assisted in their efforts to form the knuckle joints.

The work on the hand took four months.

“Honestly, I was just happy to be of service,” O’Connor told LifeZette. “To see the joy and excitement from both Lucas and his family was very rewarding for me. I am very proud of our accomplishment and am very grateful that I had an impact on this little boy’s life.”

Sure enough, just in time for his sixth birthday in June, Lucas Filippini received his new hand. The device attaches to his arm with Velcro — and by bending his wrist, he is able to move and manipulate the fingers to pick things up, something he could never do before.

Over time, he’ll develop the muscles that are needed to perform other tasks, such as picking up a drink or some pieces of paper — even tying his shoelaces.

The boy told The Associated Press he is grateful he can now do things with both hands. “It makes me think my brother loves me a lot,” he said.

Check out this video below of another child who received a 3D-printed hand recently — as with Filippini, the joy on this kid’s face tells most of the story.

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