SULLIVAN, Ill. (WAND) - Beach days are hard for Andrew Loethscher and his family.

His son, AJ, loves getting in the water, but getting to the water is the hard part. AJ is in a wheelchair, so Andrew would have to carry him from the sand to the water anytime he wanted to get in.

"It was tough going," he said.

However, all of that has changed and it's due in part to Andrew's grandfather, Nick Houser and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Lake Shelbyville.

Nick saw the struggles his grandson and great-grandson went through. Last year, he approached the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Lake Shelbyville and asked them to consider installing a beach mat that makes easier access to the water for people in wheelchairs.

"They came to us with this idea and we started to do some research," said Philip Manhart, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Lake Shelbyville.

This week, Manhart and his team install a beach mat at Sullivan Beach that runs from the pavement, straight to the water. It makes it easier for people in wheelchairs, parents with strollers, and people who have difficulty walking to get to the water.

"We are trying to provide access for all abilities, so they have an equal opportunity to get to the water."

On Friday morning, Houser and his family used the mat for the first time. Loethscher said this means the world to his family.

"It's just awesome that we are taking these steps to make things more accessible for kids, like AJ and anyone."

Another family that is excited about the new mat is Erika Phillips and her 9-year-old son Cooper. They stopped by Sullivan Beach on Friday to test it out.

"I'm so excited," said Copper. "It's like normally people try the bare minimum for accessibility. This makes me feel like there will be a better future for accessibility."

Houser was filled with joy as he heard his great-grandson yell from the water's edge. His wife Sanda told WAND News she was blessed to see the idea become a reality.

"AJ loves the water so much. His dad struggled to get him down there. This mat will help him and others."

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Lake Shelbyville said mats like the one at Sullivan Beach are utilized across the country. The agency said it will look at possible future sites around the lake.

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