Will Howell isn’t your average guy. This 20-year old from Darien possesses a superpower, and it’s pretty awesome. Will can make you smile. His enthusiasm for life is infectious and he knows how to encourage people and make them feel good. He is great at lifting the spirits of everyone around him. This is WillPower. It is the inspiration and spark that energizes the newly launched company, WillPower Ties.
Lindsay Stewart
Will Howell WillPower Ties
People who know Will and his family know that Will has been defying odds and expectations for his entire life. In 1999, his parents Carey and Melanie were warned by doctors that their newborn son might never walk or talk. Going forward, with Will diagnosed with cerebral palsy, the Howell family redefined “normal.” Despite physical challenges and intellectual disabilities, Will has always powered through even his toughest days with a smile. In a single meeting or simple conversation, you’ll quickly discover that Will loves people and his joy and enthusiasm is not only genuine, it is remarkably contagious. His physical limitations may make movement and speech difficult but Will’s capacity for love and his determination to have a positive impact in the world are unbounded.
As Will’s high school graduation neared, the Howell family realized his future would be uncertain. Carey says, “We knew that it was unlikely Will would be able to hold a traditional job. Will’s doctor and family friend, Dr. Ben Spitalnick, told us, ‘Will needs more than a job, he needs a purpose.’ So we started thinking about how we could find something that utilized the strength and talents that we know Will has. We used the NY company John’s Crazy Socks as inspiration and a model, but didn’t want to copy them. Since Will is known as a dapper dresser with his ties, we came up
Lindsay Stewart
Football Tie
with the idea of WillPower ties.” Will says that he likes ties because they make him feel proud and happy. That’s the way he wants other people to feel too.
With that in mind, the Howells spent the next six months meeting with various manufacturers, graphic designers, and marketing experts to hammer out a working plan for the business, determine what products they would offer, and establish an online store. Will’s sister, Polly Robinson, explains that they were deliberate in selecting a variety of items from multiple manufacturers to be able to offer wider selection of fabrics and styles at various price points. “Whether you’re looking at a hand-crafted silk tie made in America or a cheaper whimsical look to fit a college student’s budget, there’s something for everyone. We thought it was important to have that balance.” WillPower Ties launched on November 1, 2019.
While the brand is most definitely Will-powered, with the mega-watt smile and enthusiasm of its namesake ambassador, it is truly a family operation. Will is actively involved in choosing the tie
When it comes to shipping the ties out, each order is packaged with a thank you note from Will. He handles the mailing himself by loading up the basket on his sporty red Amtryke from AMBUCS, strapping in, and pedaling over to the Darien post office a few streets from his home. That special therapeutic tryke is an important part of Will’s story and part of the WillPower Ties purpose. It represents independence and freedom in a way few other things in Will’s life do. Will is quick to share how much he loves “Mr. Kevin” Sheehan from AMBUCS. Hearing Carey tell the story of this man from Savannah who tracked the Howells down following an MCA football game and arranged for Will to receive the tryke, it’s easy to understand why.
Will on his Amtrak’s from AMBUCS
Initially started as American Business Clubs, AMBUCS began in 1922 as a membership organization dedicated to helping people with disabilities. Over the years, it morphed into a more standard 501c3 charitable organization and shortened their name to AMBUCS. In the mid-1990s they started making and giving away therapeutic tricycles (Amtrykes) as a national project. AMBUCS currently has more than 5,000 members in more than 150 chapters in over 30 states. Their members work on a grassroots level to fundraise and work to fulfill their mission to inspire mobility and independence. The Amtryke Therapeutic Tricycle Program that gives away about 3,500 Amtrykes a year is one of the main ways they do that. When Kevin Sheehan found Will and offered to provide him with a bike through the Savannah AMBUCS, he changed his life.
Polly explains, “This is something that Will can do himself. And that’s important when there’s so much else that he needs others to help him with every day. Not this. He can be strapped in and down the street before you could even try to catch up. It’s freedom for him.” That feeling of empowerment that comes from mobility is incredibly beneficial to the well-being and sense of worth of people who, like Will, have physical limitations and disabilities that make traditional methods of transportation impossible. Because AMBUCS helped Will, he wanted to do something for them, and through them, for others. For each WillPower Tie purchase, 5% is donated to AMBUCS to support their mission to give that sense of independence and gift of mobility to others. Mr. Sheehan is proud of Will’s work as an entrepreneur and humbled by his desire to give back to the company that helped him. He shared,“You never know how just asking
Aim High WillPower Ties
Will’s spirit soars by helping others and lifting them, as he has been lifted. With WillPower Ties up and running, the future looks bright. We’re excited to share that WillPower Ties are now available at Two Friends on St. Simons Island as well as through ordering online! There’s a tie with planes on it in the WillPower Ties shop at willpowerties.com with the name “Aim High.” We encourage you to take a look, because it, along with some vintage aircraft ties in the collection, would be ideal attire for the upcoming “Art of Flight” fundraiser for Glynn Visual Arts. But more importantly, it’s the perfect message to take away from Will himself and the launch of WillPower Ties. Aim high. Lift others. The sky’s the limit!
