Larry Wills

Larry worked as an architect for HOK until 1994. While there, he worked on the renovation of the Oakland Raiders and Carolina Panthers stadiums. Following that he worked for another architectural firm in Kansas City before going out on his own as an independent architect. He continued to run his own firm (WB Enterprises) until 2015.

In May, 2018 Larry was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, and in 2020 he was given a final diagnosis of FISD. This final diagnosis is a specific type of muscular dystrophy which affects the muscles, and because of a rogue protein called DUX 4, it limits the ability to walk and use your arms properly. This is an inherited condition, and one which forced Larry to retire early at the age of 55. Obviously, this affected Larry’s ability to work, but he was able to start using a computer again with the assistance of a software program called Dragon NaturallySpeaking. Things progressed to the point where Larry planned on going back to work, but in order to do so he needed a high-level computer and peripherals. It was about that time Larry learned about our foundation through online research. He petitioned the foundation for the upgraded equipment, which would give him the ability to continue to work at the level he wanted and produce the kind of output required in today’s market.

There he believes this equipment will allow him to have a positive impact on his community. “As an architect, I was trained to see needs in respect to the built environment. In Kansas City, the central urban community is in need of redesign, and I want to be able to present my ideas in a way that clearly communicates my design vision. With this computer and accessories, I will be able to do that. Thank you so much!”