Charlie Needs a Wheelchair Accessible Van

My Brother Charlie Needs Help.
He is handicapped.
He needs a vehicle equipped for hands only driving that he can
operate sitting in his wheelchair.
These vehicles can cost up to $95,000 and more.

Let me tell you a little about Charlie.

     Charlie is 67 years old and is a loving husband to his wife of
50 years, Betty Anne.
     He is father to five beautiful children, Gina Marie, Chaz, Melissa,
Tia and Liz. Unfortunately, Chaz tragically passed away ten years ago.
     He is a proud and doting grandfather to 11 grandchildren, an uncle
to 28 nephews and nieces and a brother to 11 siblings. That's his
family in a nutshell but there is more.
     Charlie is a proud Marine who served a tour of duty in Viet Nam
and received a meritorious combat promotion.
     Charlie is a retired Boston Firefighter who proudly served the
the people of Boston for over 18 years, assigned to Ladder 17,
one of the busiest firehouses in the city.
     Now that you have been introduced to Charlie I will explain why
we need to help him. He suffers from a disease called Hypokalemia
which is a condition of a low level of potassium in his blood serum.
One of the symptoms of this disease is incremental muscle weakness.
     Over the past several years Charlie's leg muscles have deteriorated 
to the point that now he walks with a walker or a wheelchair. He
cannot walk or move about without some type of aid.
     Charlie's quality of life has been severely impacted but he has not let
his condition slow him down. He has taken the steps to improve his 
ability to move about and continue to do the daily things that most
people take for granted.
     The Veteran's Administration has provided him a motorized
wheelchair and a wheelchair elevator at his home. The addition of these aids
have had a major impact on his ability to come and go. He recently
completed a hands only drivers training program at a Veteran's
Administration service center and now has an official Massachusetts
license to drive a hands only operated vehicle. But he needs the vehicle!
     The addition of this vehicle will complete the process that will allow
Charlie to come and go safely and with confidence to enjoy his family
and friends for many years to come. If donations exceed the amount needed 
to purchase, insure and register the vehicle that money will be donated
to the Boston Firefighters Burn Foundation.
I humbly thank you for your donations.
Charlie's brother Mark