A little love and creativity can go a long way to making a big difference. Who would’ve known that a kid’s love for his dog as well as LEGO would completely change a puppy’s life

This is the story of Gracie, a disabled puppy, and how she was given a second chance at a happy life. Gracie was born with a birth defect that left her without her two front legs — and because of this, her family decided that they didn’t want to help her deal with her disability, opting to mercilessly dump her on the streets without even giving it a second thought.

When Gracie was eventually found and taken to a vets office, she had no hair around her eyes and maggots crawling all over her, she was in a bad way. However, Gracie was a fighter and she refused to give up on herself.

Image Credits: Gracie Turley

After her initial visit, the vet reached out to a local rescue organization named Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue, in Kennesaw, Georgia, who took Gracie in to help her find a new home. The Turley family, who actually run the shelter, immediately fell for Gracie, deciding to adopt her for themselves.

Image Credits: Gracie Turley

There were still, however, huge concerns about her current mobility as well as longevity, as her lack of front limbs was putting immense stress on her spinal and chest areas. Her owners worried that physical, long-lasting problems could arise as Gracie grew older. Realizing this, they needed to act fast, as puppies grow considerably in their first few years.

Image Credits: Gracie Turley

They decided to ask help from one of the shelter’s volunteers. 12-year-old volunteer Dylan is known for his expertise in constructing LEGO blocks. Dylan was tasked with building a wheelchair that could assist Gracie in walking more freely. Dylan was more than happy to help out and thus created a makeshift wheelchair.

Image Credits: Gracie Turley

Image Credits: Gracie Turley

It took Gracie a few weeks before she could get around on wheels with ease, but she was quickly taking advantage of her new support and mobility. Even though it had been constructed by LEGO blocks, the chair was perfect for Gracie, providing the much-needed protection for her chest and spine areas.

In fact, she’s has had several different iterations of the LEGO wheelchair throughout her life. The LEGO blocks proved to be a surprisingly helpful, flexible choice, with the ability to alter them as she grew. As her size increased, so did the LEGO frame and wheels.

Image Credits: Gracie Turley

Image Credits: Gracie Turley

When she finally matured, Gracie was fitted with a traditional doggy wheelchair. But its only thanks to the love of The Turney family and Dylan, that  Gracie was able to make it past her pivotal first year as a puppy without any major health issues.

Image Credits: Gracie Turley