Wheelchair Van for the Owens Family
Donation protected
Adam and Karen were blessed to buy a wheelchair van eleven years ago. By the pure grace of God it has lasted them until this month. Their story is complex but let me give the Cliff Notes version...
Adam and Karen were blessed with two biological children. Their second son was diagnosed as terminal as a toddler. He lived an amazing 3.5 years. The family wanted to give another child that same life and regrow their family via adoption. They initially only intended to adopt one, but their eyes were opened to the massive need and they promised each other that they would fill their original accessible van to capacity, and they did! Life was amazing as they adopted 4 additional kids over the years. Four years ago tragically their 7 year old escaped the house and drown in the backyard retention pond. Karen found him but couldn’t revive him. Karen struggled with an eating disorder for her entire life but after Jayden died, the trauma, the PTSD, it all came back with a vengeance. For Karen she wants people to know it’s not about being thin, It’s about being the only way she could cope with the death of her two children. She became very ill this spring. They made end of life plans, but She started fighting harder than ever. Just as She began rehab to regain her strength She was hit with a bilateral stroke. A right cerebellum and left cerebral to be exact. It’s has changed their lives yet again.
As for a new van, these new additional needs change everything. The cost for an accessible van is typically unachievable for most families, but adding on the new features they need is life altering and huge financial blow to this family.They are not looking for people to buy them a van, but are looking for help with the down payment to make the payments semi-reasonable.
Adam and Karen were blessed with two biological children. Their second son was diagnosed as terminal as a toddler. He lived an amazing 3.5 years. The family wanted to give another child that same life and regrow their family via adoption. They initially only intended to adopt one, but their eyes were opened to the massive need and they promised each other that they would fill their original accessible van to capacity, and they did! Life was amazing as they adopted 4 additional kids over the years. Four years ago tragically their 7 year old escaped the house and drown in the backyard retention pond. Karen found him but couldn’t revive him. Karen struggled with an eating disorder for her entire life but after Jayden died, the trauma, the PTSD, it all came back with a vengeance. For Karen she wants people to know it’s not about being thin, It’s about being the only way she could cope with the death of her two children. She became very ill this spring. They made end of life plans, but She started fighting harder than ever. Just as She began rehab to regain her strength She was hit with a bilateral stroke. A right cerebellum and left cerebral to be exact. It’s has changed their lives yet again.
As for a new van, these new additional needs change everything. The cost for an accessible van is typically unachievable for most families, but adding on the new features they need is life altering and huge financial blow to this family.They are not looking for people to buy them a van, but are looking for help with the down payment to make the payments semi-reasonable.
Organizer
Karen Owens
Organizer
Orlando, FL