Help us fund an accessible van for Steve

Our friend, Steve Luckey, had an unfortunate fall in July 2021. This accident left him unable to get around and in a wheelchair. We would love to help him fund the accessible van that he and his wife need to get to appointments and other daily needs. We would love to help ease this burden for them.

When Steve Luckey’s wife, Janice, heard the loud clackety-clack of the ladder falling, she feared the worst. Running to the backyard where Steve had been trimming tree limbs, Janice found him face down in the grass. He was conscious and appeared ok.  “Put my legs down,” he said, “they’re sticking up in the air.”  Janice felt a stab of panic.  His legs weren’t in the air.  They were lying motionless in the grass.

As the ambulance whisked Steve from their Mooresville home to a downtown Charlotte hospital, Janice knew the outlook was not good. She whispered a simple prayer, the first of many that would follow over the next six months:  “God, please help.”

I first knew Steve when we were second-graders in Miss Christianson’s class at Thomasboro Elementary School. We went through school together until graduating from West Mecklenburg High School in 1969. When I heard of Steve’s accident and resulting paralysis, I knew I wanted to help in some way.

Steve spent 9 days in Trauma ICU and 6 weeks in an intensive rehabilitation hospital. His severe spinal cord injury resulted in paralysis from his chest down, but he did retain use of his arms and hands.  Focusing on the positive, Steve returned home after modifying his home to accommodate his electric wheelchair.

The next hurdle to cross was the often frustrating and expensive task of obtaining personal health caregivers as Janice, who has had lupus for 35 years, was unable to physically supply 100% of Steve’s needed care. Finding skilled, dependable care became an all-consuming task.

Another challenge facing Steve was the issue of transportation. For 6 months he had been confined to his home, relying on costly private transportation services to take him to and from a myriad of doctors’ appointments. The family was simply not prepared for the high cost of a handicapped-accessible vehicle, yet the confinement was taking a toll on Steve’s emotional well-being.  Finally, the family purchased a used accessible 2016 Toyota Sienna minivan with low mileage.  The purchase gave Steve a much-needed sense of freedom and independence.

These are not the retirement years Steve and Janice planned, but it is their “new normal” that day by day they are adjusting to. They are grateful to their family, friends, neighbors, and church that have stood by them along this journey.

This fundraising effort would cover half of the pre-owned van, so it's just Phase 1! We hope to raise $60,000 in total. Please donate as you can. Once the need for the van is met, any additional funds will go toward is ongoing care and medical needs.