life-changing wheelchairs!

 I rolled into LA with my camper just in time to turn around and fly back to NYC for my boys! Jermaine and Jonathan would finally receive their long-awaited, new, pimped-out, life-changing wheelchairs! (hence the blogging delay).

There will never be enough words to fully articulate my love and appreciation for Darrell Gwynn and everyone who works for his foundation. Darrell has now provided wheelchairs for all three of the "Boys of Beth Abe."

My love Jonathan, a super quad, once left stranded in the streets of the Bronx with a broken wheelchair, now drives a $35,000 vehicle of independence. He went from a beater to a Ferrari! He needs to retake driver's ed because he already ran into a wall and took out one of his wheels! The new chair is so fast and responsive that it takes some practice. Luckily we were at the racetrack when it happened, so the wheelchair pit crew was on hand to fix it! He's been practicing his maneuvering skills in an open courtyard of the nursing home, so we don't expect that to ever happen again -- right Jonathan?!!!! :)

My precious Jermaine has had so many life-changing events in his life. Finally, after years of neglect in the nursing home, he is moving to a new apartment! As I've mentioned, insurance will not pay for new wheelchairs while the boys live in the nursing home; however, they will pay once they've moved out! The Darrell Gwynn Foundation usually donates power wheelchairs; however, in Jermaine's case, we requested a super-lite manual wheelchair knowing his freedom was just around the corner, and with that, a new power chair through insurance! Jermaine's new super-lite manual chair is the Cadillac of manual chairs -- he's gone from pushing a 50 lb tank of lead to cruising in a 12 lb Hoover craft right out of Star Wars! 

Here are some pics from the incredible Darrell Gwynn wheelchair donation event at Raceway Park in NJ.

Jermaine is so poetic, articulate and well spoken I balled through his entire "thank you" speech!! 

Standing: Darrell's incredible dad, Jerry • Linda, Jermaine's sweet aunt • Me • Jenny!
Sitting: Jermaine • Darrell Gwynn

Blake and Jermaine on the race track for the opening "track walk". Jonathan was was with the pit crew fixing his busted wheel! Blake received his wheelchair last June. 

Jonathan, giving his "thank you" speech in front of thousands at the race track!

Blake, Jermaine, Jonathan and Darrell. Darrell's dad, Jerry, is standing behind Jonathan. I don't know the man holding the fake check, but I'm sure he's nice. :)
One of my favorite pics! All the boys with Darrell sitting in his wheelchair race car!  Jenny, Jerry and Me behind them.

Comments

[Paul Szendrey]

Simply wonderful! What a life changing day for everyone. This blog post put a smile in my heart. You are so lucky to have all 3 of those wonderful young men in your life.