TD Bank's Rosie Dusseau hopes her son inspires others his age to help amid COVID-19
Return to Backbone of the Economy
TD Bank's Rosie Dusseau has an 11-year-old son Steven who enjoys taking apart equipment and solving problems. What’s even more surprising is that the young man also really knows how to put everything back together better than it was before!
It's that love to create that gave Steven the drive to make more than 80 face shields from his 3D printer for local professionals in the Metro Detroit area to help with the shortages of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the ongoing fight against COVID-19.
"My son had stood out to me during this time; I am so proud of him," said Rosie, Senior Manager of Communications and Customer Engagement for TD Auto Finance in Farmington Hills, Michigan. She's been with TD for nearly five years.
Seeing the need spurs action
Steven was immediately interested when he learned about 3D printers two years ago, starting a personal journal of tips on how to use them. His love of learning by taking things apart proved very useful in putting together his guide.
When he, along with millions of other students across the country, was not able to attend school in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he immediately tried to find a way to make the time more productive.
"He's really savvy," Rosie said. "He is so focused on finding solutions."
He was sent a file from his STEM teacher that provided directions on making the plastic visors for medical professionals, complete with a shield in the front that covered the whole face, providing extra protection.
Steven went right to work.
"I wanted to do something different," Steven said. "It's pretty easy to make them, but it takes a long time."
The face shields were distributed to local hospitals and medical professionals in the Detroit area. He was planning to make more; however, his 3D printer broke down, and he is in the midst of resolving the issues.
Steven's skills at technology portends for a fabulous future. As you may guess, he has an interest in going into engineering.
His ability to use his skills to help people is certainly a major sign of a great future ahead. Rosie hopes her son will inspire others to know they can make a difference no matter how young they are.
"I hope what he does encourages other kids to use their creativity," she said. "Steven is really an inspiration that we can all do things to help our communities."