Help Kevin DeJaynes Pay For a Wheelchair Van

2023 has been an unspeakably difficult year. Kevin went into the hospital on April 27th in excruciating pain. After being transferred to OSF St. Francis Hospital in Peoria, he finally had surgery on May 2nd.

(Image description: Kevin in a hospital bed with Stephanie leaning over him)

After an ICU stay, a second surgery, and an extended stay in an acute rehabilitation hospital, he finally came home on June 23rd with a permanent spinal cord injury and is expected to require a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

(Image Description: Kevin sitting in his loaner wheelchair in the hospital)

Our entire life has turned upside down, requiring us to move to a new apartment, buy multiple pieces of medical equipment, and for Kevin to re-learn how to live life. As his partner, I am now his primary caretaker while still continuing to work full-time.

Because many of his doctors are out of town, we had to arrange transportation quickly, and that's when we discovered that wheelchair vans are incredibly expensive and the insurance coverage isn't much better. We purchased a 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan and it cost us $30,000 and more than doubled our auto insurance costs. We need help covering this cost. Everything we raise will go to paying down this loan, covering car insurance, and if we're wildly successful, saving for the inevitable maintenance costs.

My life with Kevin over the past ten years has been wonderful. He's the kindest, most caring partner I could ask for and he's taken incredible care of me. I'm now doing my best to take care of him and find our new normal for the next ten years and as many after that as we're lucky enough to get together.

(Image Description: Kevin having made his first meal at home after the hospital)

We had hoped to start looking at purchasing a house in the near future and that is now on hold indefinitely. Everything costs more when you're disabled, and everything is harder. Please help us make things a little bit easier.