New Wheelchair

Hi, my name is Julia Zukowski, and as you have already seen I posted a video on Twitter of a college student pushing someone's wheelchair down a flight of stairs. I am starting this gofundme to help raise money towards a new wheelchair for the person! Any donation helps :) Thank you!

As the listed organizer Nathaniel Sanders of this go fund me I would like to thank everyone for the support. This was put together in such haste in response to people wanting to make donations that a lot of information was not added to the story that probably should have been initially. 

The woman that the chair belongs to is Sydney Benes a double amputee that needs the chair to be mobile while she is learning to use her prosthetics. She wanted to remain anonymous during this till she filed a police report for the damages to the chair. That report was filed Wednesday morning and has since made her identity known. 

The bar that this incident happend at is Sullivans Pub in Erie PA. Sullivans is a bar that was built before ADA compliances were enacted and hence grandfathered in and the reason that the restrooms are located at the bottom of the stairs. This is the reason that the chair was parked at the stop of the stairs. I personally physically carry her down the stairs any time she has to use the restroom. 

Julia the original poster of the tweet that has since went viral and I are well aware that the $1,500 goal has been reached and exceeded. We have talked to Sydney and she wants to use any money in excess of what it will cost to repair or replace the chair to help others that are in need and in similar situations. 

We do thank everyone for their kindness and generosity with this. 

Recently the chair was taken in for a repair estimate. The place that it was taken to has deemed it to be totaled ( unrepairable ) and suggested a replacement chair at a cost of $3800. Thanks to all of the generous donations Sydney will be able to get her new chair and she will be able to donate some of what’s left over to help others that are in need.