Pictured from left Tuesday are Maddox Henry, Bob Triscari of Aadvance Driver Training, and Hayley Clark. Despite limitations at young ages, Henry and Clark both recently passed their driving tests with the help of Triscari. P-J photo by Eric Tichy

CELORON — At a young age, Hayley Clark wasn’t sure if she’d ever be able to get behind the wheel of a car. At 6 years old she suffered a stroke, which limited some of the use of her extremities.

“When I was little I never thought I’d be able to drive at all,” she said. “I was told that I wouldn’t be able to use my right hand at all.”

For Maddox Henry, born with Holt-Oram syndrome, a genetic birth defect that impacts the hands and arms along with heart problems, learning to drive was always the plan when he reached the right age.

“It felt to me like it felt to anyone else,” he said. “It just felt like it was a long time coming.”

Despite experiencing limitations at young ages, Clark and Henry both recently passed their driving tests with the help of Bob Triscari of Aadvance Driver Training. The two met for the first time Tuesday afternoon with their parents present outside The Resource Center in Celoron.

Clark admitted to being a little nervous when she took her road test about two weeks ago. She learned to drive using a vehicle outfitted with the gas pedal near the left brake and a knob on the steering wheel.

“Being behind the wheel was very scary,” she said. “Since my first lesson and to now, I went from being very nervous to now where I’m super comfortable behind the wheel. Everything is just so nice and Bob has been super nice to me.”

The Maple Grove High School student will now drive with her own vehicle outfitted with the necessary equipment.

Marcus Clark noted how much Triscari helped his daughter learn the mechanics of the road — beginning with a series of driving lessons and ultimately ending with her road test.

“He’s terrific because he’s taking her out two hours before her driver’s test to parallel park and do a three-point turn,” he said.

And, as a proud dad would, Marcus Clark couldn’t help but brag about his daughter’s accomplishments.

“It’s great that she passed her driving test,” he said. “Our son didn’t pass his test, and there are a lot of kids who don’t pass their test the first time.”

Shelly Phillips, Henry’s mother, said her son has always been independent, so when he set out to get his driver’s license she knew that was his goal. “He doesn’t let anything hold him back,” she said. “Maddox finds a way to do whatever he wants to do. So we knew he’d get his license, it was just a matter of what he needed to do to get it and that’s where Bob helped us.”

Henry said he’s always liked machines; his dream car is a 1969 Ford Mustang Fastback. He said Triscari was the main reason he was able to pass his driving test late last year in the time that he did.

“I probably wouldn’t be able to do this, at least for a long time, without Bob,” Henry said.

However, Triscari said it’s Clark and Henry who deserve all the credit.

“These kids, they did this on their own,” he said. “Yeah, I gave them some tools to work with but they are hard-working kids. … They deserve these licenses.”