When Denise Altheide says goodbye to her mother and heads off to college, she'll literally leave a piece of herself behind.

Denise's mother, Faith, was born deaf, and has recently lost her vision – and her husband.

Faith's social worker wanted to help make the transition easier for mom by surprising her with a 3D printed model of Denise so she can continue to connect with her daughter through touch.

Patricia Ingraham contacted local math teachers Ron Shaffer and Cory Howard to ask about the technology, and they immediately agreed to help.

The process included taking photographs of Denise, stitching them together into a mock up, then building the bust with a 3D printer.

(WATCH Faith's reaction in the video above or READ more at 3DPrint.com)

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