Help Junior get a new Ramp installed in a vehicle

Hello,

My name is Juan, and this is our story.

My nephew Angel Cruz (Junior). Is a 14-year-old teenager living with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Junior was Diagnosed at age 6 with DMD.

What is Duchenne muscular dystrophy? Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disorder characterized by progressive muscle degeneration and weakness due to the alterations of a protein called dystrophin that helps keep muscle cells intact.

What is the life expectancy in DMD?

Until relatively recently, boys with DMD usually did not survive much beyond their teen years. Thanks to advances in cardiac and respiratory care, life expectancy is increasing and many young adults with DMD attend college, have careers, get married, and have children. Survival into the 30s is becoming more common than before.

At age 10 he was unable to walk and was wheelchair bound. Last year on May 2022 Junior was involved in an accident with his wheelchair. He had both broken ankles and his right femur fractured. He was discharged the same day with both leg casts 2 days later he was rushed to the hospital for respiratory issues. He was in the ICU for 3 weeks. It’s been over a year and Junior has not fully recovered. Due to the incident has been bed bound, and has lost almost 80% of mobility which makes it very difficult to transfer him on a vehicle. Junior hasn’t been able to attend school or leave the house since May 2022. Junior needs to see a counselor due to his high anxiety caused by the accident. But most important he needs to be enjoying his life. Junior’s mom Susana (my little sister) main struggle is buying a modified van to be able to transport him. The money collected will be going towards helping pay for the van, to take junior out of the house. Even if it’s something as little as going to watch a movie. Juniors favorite place to go is the movies theater. He loves watching scary movies. Junior is at a stage where he is losing the remainder of his mobility quickly. Not only because of his diagnosis but because he is not able to leave the house due to transportation issues. The more junior is in bed the quicker he loses his mobility. Junior can feed himself but needs to cut his meals into small pieces. He is not able to dress himself, needs to take drinks in cups with straws. He is losing his hand mobility which makes it hard for him to play his electronic. He loves playing Fortnite but there are days that he is too tired, and all he can do is watch YouTube of others playing the game and wishes he was playing as well. Angel is not able to do much as he has a learning delay and is able to read and write at a first-grade level. It makes it difficult for him to do much. Most board games require you to read or use hands which he is unable to do. Thank you for taking your time on reading this.