If you give a kid a wheelchair

Ever read "If you give a mouse a cookie"? 


Well, this is "If you give a kid a wheelchair..."

(Manny and Paula with MDA the first time in his new wheelchair he calls "Big Red")


If you give a kid a wheelchair, he's going to want to ride it. 
He's going to ride it to the park and drive straight to the swings to tell you that's what he wants to do.










If you let him ride it in the backyard, he's going to play tag with his brothers and sisters for the first time in his life.

He's going to laugh so hard, he can't breathe.



If you let him ride in the backyard, he's going to want to go everywhere in it. 


But right now he can't. 
Currently, we deadlift his manual wheelchair in the back of our van.  But we can't possibly do that for his 350 pound wheelchair. 


So his parents will research the cheapest way to get a wheelchair in the van. 


We find out that's a ramp.  But according to ADA, it needs to be a 17 foot ramp based on the rise.  (That's not possible, practical nor feasible.)  We were told we could make an 8 foot do so we are looking into that. 


But if we get the ramp, we then need to put it in the van.  The seat is 39 inches from front to back.  The van is only 36 inches from front to back.  So it would have to go up a ramp and then make a sharp right turn? Not sure it's even possible??

And then IF we could get it up the too short ramp and into the too short trunk and turned sideways, we still have to take him out of the seat and put him in the car seat. 


Currently, I can still do that.  He's 50 pounds.  And since he doesn't hold any of his own weight, it's like a kid who is sleeping.  He's HUGE.  As I say, he's getting heavier and I'm not getting stronger. 


So our goal would be to eventually have a way that he could drive up in his chair and then stay in the chair. 


So if you give a kid a wheelchair and he needs to stay in that chair, our van would need a lift.  And that's thousands of dollars.


And if we got that lift, we'd need it installed (more money). 


And if we got it installed, we'd have to remove a row of seats and put in tie downs or anchors (more money).


And if we got the anchors, we'd have to replace a bench seat with a captain's chair so someone could sit by him.  (More money). 


And by this time, the mom and dad are saying, "Is it worth all this money invested in a van that's nearing 100,000 miles??


So the mom will complain to discuss with her girlfriends.  They will brainstorm and come up with a new solution. 


There's a friend who is wanting to sell her VERY nice custom van which seats 10 and is ALREADY wheelchair accessible with TONS of other upgrades (like TV/DVD player and chargers at the seats! The kids would freak!)  She is willing to sell it to me for a ridiculous discount. 

So if this friend offers a van we can't refuse, we start a fundraising gig.  I've never done one before.  I'm so not good at it.  But as one friend told me, it's just letting people know we have a need and letting people help who want to.  Simple as that. 


So if I start a fundraising page, my friends will be seeing it often.   (that was your warning). 


Here's the link ... please share, donate and pray!!! http://www.gofundme.com/7aknhw





If you give a kid a wheelchair, it means lots of people will get the chance to bless Manny with the gift of Mobility.