Community
Finding Inspiration in Every Turn
The Magic Ride Foundation is built by a passionate team of film, video game, and entertainment industry professionals who have come together around a shared belief: every child deserves a moment of pure joy, even in the hardest of times. From cinematographers and game developers to storytellers and production veterans, our volunteer crew brings deep creative expertise to every ride we build. We partner with children's hospitals, pediatric physicians, child life specialists, and healthcare professionals to ensure our experiences are not only magical — but safe, thoughtful, and tailored to the needs of the kids we serve. Together, we're turning hospital rooms into launchpads for adventure.
Our Story
The Magic Ride Foundation began with grief. When a close friend lost her young son to cancer, I found myself at a loss — unable to find the right words, unable to fix anything, unable to make even a small dent in the weight of what the family was carrying. That helplessness stayed with me. Eventually, I gathered some of my closest friends and we started asking a simple question: What can we actually do? We didn't have all the answers, but we had skills, we had heart, and we had each other. Out of those conversations came The Magic Ride Foundation — a small idea that we hope can bring a moment of wonder to kids fighting battles no child should ever have to face.
Meet The Team
Sam Gebhardt
As the Founder of The Magic Ride Foundation and COO of Aemulus-XR, Sam Gebhardt brings a rare combination of creative and technical expertise to the children he set out to serve. A 3D generalist turned immersive technology leader, Sam began his career working on major productions in film, TV, and video games — with credits including Shrek 2, The Aviator, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 — before expanding into virtual and augmented reality content creation in the mid-2000s. A graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design, he has spent his career blending cutting-edge technology with immersive storytelling — experience he now channels entirely into bringing free, wonder-filled VR experiences to hospitalized children. The Magic Ride Foundation is both his most personal and most purposeful project to date.
Paul Taylor
As the Associate Chair of Entertainment Design, Animation at world-renowned Art Center College Of Design Paul Taylor brings extensive animation industry experience to The Magic Ride Foundation. His career spans game cinematics, commercials, ride films, and feature films. Taylor has directed award-winning shorts, co-directed a feature film, and contributed to major Hollywood blockbusters as animator, previsualization artist, and animation supervisor. His work includes iconic franchises like SpongeBob, Warner Bros., Disney, and Activision Blizzard.
Our Clients
