PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A wheelchair doesn't stop Casey Yates from living life to the fullest. In fact, he's played sports his whole life.

“It just taught me confidence and doing what other people do and just knowing that I can do other things, it’s pretty cool,” he said.

While his family knew about different programs like adaptive sports, his mom, Loyda Yates, says that's not always the case.

“It's growing. I think over the last years, I think that a lot more people are finding out there are programs out there for our kids with disabilities, physical or cognitive,” she said.

Enter Miracle by the Bay, an event highlighting different special needs services in the area that families may not know about.

It’s a passion project for organizer Matthew Walker, who also grew up with special needs.

“The reason it was so important to me personally is because I saw the need and I saw the desire for these kids to just have fun,” he said.

Vendors promoted services at Remember Our Children Park in Madeira Beach from wheelchair accessible vans to adaptive sports teams.

The Yates family was right there with them, promoting Casey’s sled hockey team.

The event also featured sporting events for special needs kids.

“To see the smiles on their faces just brings great joy to me and feel like we can brighten their days and it’s very important to integrate in the community and i think that’s really the main mission,” said R.O.C Park president Bill Karns.

If you’d like to get connected with Miracle by the Bay, email mbtbfl@gmail.com.