TCC Physical Therapy Clinic Named In Honor Of Tulsa Activist Nate Waters

Tulsa is honoring a man who spent his life making the city a better place.

Friends and family packed a downtown Tulsa church Thursday afternoon to remember Nate Waters, who passed away unexpectedly last week.

T. Boone Pickens and Harold Hamm both talked about the impact Waters had on them and so many others. Just before the service, dozens of people gathered for a walk to honor Waters.

Waters was confined to a wheelchair, after a brutal beating when he was 19 years old, and he spent his life fighting to make Tulsa accessible for people with disabilities.

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To honor Waters, TCC announced they'll name a new physical therapy center after him.

Construction is currently underway on the new physical therapy clinic in downtown Tulsa, and for many like Suzanne Taylor, it's a dream finally coming true.

"I have just loved this building and always thought it had a feel of a physical therapy clinic," Taylor said.

The 7,000-square-foot center is located across from TCC on Cincinnati.

With the recent passing of former student and community activist Nate Waters, Taylor said it was important to name the building in his honor.

"Nate was one of our very first patients that we gave care to," she said.

TCC Foundation Chair Mary Shaw said Waters was like family, and that this new center will embody what he lived for.

"I think he would feel so deeply honored that this is happening," Shaw said.

TCC's current physical therapy center is on the fifth floor of the Phillips building. This new one is not only twice as big, but it can hold 10 times the amount of patients, and just as important, its more accessible to people with physical disabilities.

"It looks like we may be able to provide over $300,000 of free physical therapy to the community," Taylor said.

She said they plan on having treadmills, ellipticals and ball pits for children to play in, in the new facility.

The center will also serve as a place for TCC students to learn the skills they need for careers in physical therapy.

"The students will benefit from the relationship just as much as the patients will," Taylor said.

TCC hopes to have the center open by the start of 2014, but they still need to raise just over $300,000.

Go here if you'd like to make a donation in Waters' honor.