Help Nick with a new adaptive vehicle

My best friend since second grade needs your help. Anyone who knows Nick knows how independent he is. A new wheelchair-accessible van would be a life-changing tool for Nick to continue to live his life with the independence we all deserve.

I first met Nick at seven years old. We immediately connected over his service dog, Issac, one of the most beloved members of our second-grade class. That connection changed both of our lives and thirty-eight years later we have remained each other's primary support. As Nick’s best friend, I know how impactful your donation would be because I was there when he received this van in 2008, fifteen years ago.

I don’t need to tell you how much technology has changed since then and what it takes to keep up a vehicle almost old enough to vote. The repairs the van would need to continue its life on the road are extensive and impractical. The van simply lacks functionality.

Nick has one of the most severe cases of myelomeningocele spina bifida (the most severe form of spina bifida) in the country. He is in textbooks. He strives for independence but has suffered an immense amount due to complications relating to his disability. These complications have landed him in nursing homes and in and out of the hospital for extended stays. His access to a wheelchair-accessible van isn’t just important, it is a lifeline. Public transportation is not an option for him, access is often unreliable and when it is available it is limited. Nick has worked since he was a teenager and since owning a car has driven himself to his own doctor’s appointments. His van allows him to get to work, to the doctor, and perform other daily tasks.

To continue living his life the way he deserves to, with independence, Nick needs a new van that will last for years to come. Nick has overcome numerous hurdles throughout his life namely blowing past the life expectancy predicted by doctors. But now he needs your help to overcome this hurdle. Although this van is expensive, its importance for my friend is priceless. Thank you for your kind and life-changing donation!

*The average cost for an adaptive vehicle averages between $50,000-$80,000. This includes the price of the vehicle, a full adaptive conversion which consists of a wheelchair ramp which requires a lowering of the floor 6", Hand controls, and an eclectic powered 6 way drivers seat that allows the seat to lower and raise, pivot left and right, and go backward and forward