FC Cincinnati Players Team Up with Nonprofit to Build Life-Changing Wheelchair Ramp for Young Athlete
CINCINNATI — For 11-year-old Jordan Eckert, a rising star in wheelchair football, getting to practice shouldn’t be a hurdle. But due to his spina bifida—a spinal condition affecting his mobility—navigating stairs had become an impossible challenge. That changed when Major League Soccer players from FC Cincinnati partnered with Operation Ramp It Up, a nonprofit dedicated to improving accessibility, to build Jordan a custom wheelchair ramp.
A Barrier-Free Future
Jordan’s father, John Eckert, explained how daily tasks grew harder as his son grew older. “His mobility is limited from the waist down, and independence is everything,” he said. Without a ramp, something as simple as leaving the house required assistance.
Enter Operation Ramp It Up, a Cincinnati-based organization that has installed more than 350 ramps for families in need. With funding from donations and sponsorships, the group provides aluminum ramps that can be reused if a family no longer needs them.
Soccer Stars Step Up
FC Cincinnati players, including Ayoub Lajhar, traded their cleats for tools to help construct Jordan’s ramp. “The fans support us every game—this is our way of giving back,” Lajhar said.
Greg Schneider, CEO of Operation Ramp It Up, emphasized the impact: “We’re not just building ramps—we’re giving people freedom and independence.”
For Jordan, the new ramp means no more obstacles—just a clear path toward his dreams. “This is the craziest day of my life,” he said with a grin. “I’m just excited.”
With this project, FC Cincinnati and Operation Ramp It Up prove that teamwork extends far beyond the soccer field.
— Reported by Nexio News
