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OGDEN -- To watch him eat tacos is amazing. To watch him ride a bike is amazing. To watch him type on a computer keyboard is amazing.
It's amazing because Nathan Spencer, an 8-year-old third-grader at Shadow Valley Elementary, does it all with his feet.
"A lot of kids would let their disability get them down. That is not the case with Nate," said Mandi Juedeman, an Ogden City School District staff aide who helps kids with special physical needs.
"We spend our lives feeling sorry for ourselves, worrying about the things we can't do. Then you look at Nate."
A little more about Nate, as he uses a fork held between his toes to shovel in another mouthful of taco.
He loves to paint sunsets because they are pretty.
He actually enjoys practicing his cursive letters.
He likes solving math problems.
He loves to play soccer.
He becomes Luke Skywalker when it's time to have light-saber fights with his brother and sister.
For a break, Nate rides his three-wheel, yellow recumbent bike.
And he does it all with his feet, except the bike, when he uses his knees.
"Only my sister thinks I have stinky feet," Nate said.
For fun, his teacher once declared "Nate Day," which meant everyone could only use their feet that day.
Aside from the gross toe jam, the kids quickly gained an appreciation for what this super-flexible kid has dealt with every day since he was 3 years old.
Apparently it also started a trend, because the next day, a neighbor found her daughter sitting on the kitchen counter trying to eat with her feet.
Nightmare nap
An unexpected curveball was thrown at the Spencers on what seemed a typical day in 2004.
Nate awoke from a nap, but in an unusual mood. He wasn't acting like himself and his mother, Heidi, could tell something was wrong.
His twin brother, McKay, said Nate kept dropping his sippy cup on the floor and cried inconsolably. Within an hour, Nate had lost all feeling in both arms.
As they arrived at Primary Children's Medical Center and doctors proceeded with multiple tests, Heidi was in denial.
"It didn't seem real," she said.
Doctors told the family there was a virus in the gray matter of Nate's spinal cord that had somehow caused paralysis in his arms.
More baffling news followed.
Despite countless tests, doctors could not identify the virus, although they said it was similar to polio, nor could they determine what caused it.
More than 11 weeks later, following a tracheotomy, intense therapy and more tests, Nate had not regained feeling in his arms.
"There was no prognosis. They had never seen it before," Heidi said.
"It was very hard. There was so much unknown. There were times when we didn't think he would live because they didn't know if the virus would go up further in his brain stem. If it did, it would kill him."
It was a chaotic time for the Spencers.
Nate's father, Matt, was in his second year of medical school at the University of Utah, and now Nate would have to relearn how to breathe on his own, eat, sit, hold up his head and walk.
Heidi said it took some time for reality to set in.
"A year after it happened, we adjusted and realized this was our life. We moved on," she said. "It's just hard to see your child have to deal with life."
Sibling support
While many aspects of life were more challenging, someone forgot to tell Nate he couldn't do things.
Because he hadn't yet learned to do much with his hands, he learned with his feet as if it were a natural process.
"We worry about his feet all the time, but it's like, what do you do? Luckily nothing has happened yet. He's used to it," Matt said.
When needed, Nate's brother and little sister, Ashlee, have lent helping hands.
McKay helps Nate comb his hair, brush his teeth and get ready for school.
They also ride bikes, play soccer and have some serious battles on the Nintendo Wii.
"This has really defined their roles in the family. McKay is a guardian in a lot of ways," Heidi said.
"They draw a lot of strength from each other."
Matt agrees, saying, "This has brought all three of them closer together."
Meeting needs
Matt Spencer has never retained a lawyer, but he did threaten to hire one the day before Nate's first day of school.
The Spencers, still in Salt Lake City at the time, had just received a call from the school's administration notifying them the school was not ready for Nate.
Big mistake.
"I called back and said he will be at school or you will hear from my lawyer," said Matt, who didn't mention he would have had to go find one.
But it worked. An hour later, at least four people called back and apologized profusely, and last-minute arrangements were made.
The Spencers don't consider themselves to be assertive people, but they learned quickly it was necessary when seeking to meet Nate's needs in the classroom.
By the time they moved to Ogden in 2007, all they had to do was call ahead and explain the situation.
Leanne Rich, the principal at Shadow Valley Elementary, said Ogden City School District is committed to helping disabled students.
She told the family to get her a list of everything needed.
When the Spencers showed up at Shadow Valley's open house, it was all there, including adjustable chairs and other specialized equipment.
Under Section 504 of the Americans With Disabilities Act, the school district is required by law to facilitate Nate's educational needs.
He is one of about 60 students in the Ogden City School District who qualify under Section 504.
Blending in
Thanks to 504, Nate has people like Juedeman and Becky Johnson to help him at school.
Juedeman and Johnson are specifically hired to work with children with special physical needs.
Both marvel at how Nate courageously tackles life each day.
"It is amazing what he can do with his feet," Johnson said.
"It's pretty incredible that he functions the way he does. I think that every day."
Juedeman has assisted Nate for a few years now. She said his biggest hurdle early on wasn't adjusting to school, it was his peers adjusting to him.
"If they had a question for or about Nate, instead of addressing him, they would ask me," Juedeman said.
"It was just getting him to the point where he was comfortable talking about certain things. (Now) he has an amazing way with people."
Nate's third-grade teacher, Marnie Favero, describes him as positive, outgoing, teachable and a good student.
All agree he is talented, but just wants to blend in and be treated like a normal student.
Big ambitions
When Nate grows up, he hopes to become an engineer and build a rocket. That might have something to do with his love of "Star Wars," his family said.
He also expressed interest in learning to play the violin.
No matter what the future brings, Nate's family expects he will continue to excel at school and as a person.
The one thing they wouldn't change are his hugs.
"He has two types of hugs," Matt said.
"One where he walks up and puts his head in your belly or whatever. The other is he sits down next to you and wraps his legs around you. Those are special hugs."
