Roger Leggett of Chad's Bracket Receives Silver Coin from Grand Master of the Masonic Lodges of Georgia

At the July 26th meeting of the Beulah Lodge #698, Grand Master of the Masonic Lodges of Georgia Donald C. Combs presented Roger Leggett with a Silver Commemorative Coin. The esteemed coin is one of only 75 given in the State of Georgia. Roger has been presented the coin due to his ingenious invention of Chad’s Bracket. The GrandMaster was familiar with the wagon because of his own family member who used a wagon at CHOA.
The origins of Chad’s Bracket are as bittersweet as any history could possibly be. In 2011, Roger’s granddaughter Felicity was diagnosed with a brain tumor. What followed was a roller coaster of medications, MRIs, chemo, and surgery.
During one of the many visits to see Felicity in the hospital, Roger and his son, Chad Leggett (Felicity’s uncle, an EMT with Puckett Ambulance at CHOA) encountered the mom of a patient entering an elevator. That mom was using a wagon to transport her child while also attempting to move an IV pole along with that wagon. Roger and Chad noticed that the mom was having such a difficult time that the IV pole almost fell on her child. They knew immediately that there was a need for some way to attach an IV pole to those wagons so that parents would be able to utilize the wagons in an easier and safer manner.
Tragically, just a few weeks later Chad passed away from heat stroke at one of Roger’s and Chad’s favorite hunting sites.
In the weeks to follow, heartache flooded the family, faith was shaken to its core, and despair was evident to all who surrounded the family with love and support. The family was torn between celebrating Felicity coming home from the hospital and a new baby, Felicity’s little sister, who would soon make her debut, and the sorrow that threatened to take over. But through it all, one thought remained in Roger’s mind: Chad’s legacy. Chad wanted to create an IV pole attachment for those wagons and would have wanted Roger to continue on that course without him. That thought sustained Roger while he set out on his mission to develop Chad’s Bracket.
That mission included collaboration with Children’s Hospital of Atlanta engineers to check every safety concern, guaranteeing that the wagons were safe even with the weight of a pump and IV bags attached. These measures included using wagons with seat belts, with wheels on the outer perimeter, and that have a low center of gravity.
Also included in the process were Lewis Holland, Grant Little, Dave Taylor, and the welding class at Chattahoochee Tech in Jasper, Georgia, as well as L&W Welding in Paulding County. Their participation was crucial in bringing Chad’s Bracket to life.
So many organizations and individuals across Georgia and the US have donated time, money, and labor to this nonprofit that it would be impossible to list them all. But know that they are all very appreciated and needed to make this successful.
As of press time Roger said wagon #1422 is in his garage getting ready to be sent to a special child or hospital. Wagons have been delivered all over the United States and 8 foreign countries. There have been many news articles and reports, and much recognition. But true to his character, Roger made this statement: “Thank you everyone for the nice comments. I don't feel I deserve the praise. I'm just trying to make the time a child and parents spend at CHOA easier and safer. The time spent there is traumatizing enough dealing with many times a life-threatening event, without having to deal with the IV stand and the wagon separately.”
If you know of a child in need of one of these wagons or if you want to donate a wagon you can reach out to Roger at Update: Felicity is now 15 years old, she has been through 4 surgeries for brain tumors, 4 rounds of radiation and chemo and is presently taking chemo and doing great!