I have attached a photo of my grandson Mason Wietzke. This was the day that Mason thought he would have to use a burgundy scooter with a wicker basket like the ones he had seen seniors use at the mall. He had indicated he would rather just stay at home……Craig of Medichair heard Mason’s concerns and solved his teenage angst by finding him this Black Beauty-shiny with chrome rims. Mason was in the seat as soon as Craig was out of it and immediately shouted over his shoulder at me “see you at home gwamma!”. Luckily I had brought along his nurse who happened to be in workout gear and runners. He drove and his nurse ran through downtown and on the Galloping Goose home to Gorge road where we lived. He logged many hours on that scooter before he was moved to a regular power chair.
HFAD was generous to make the Black Beauty payments for us and I am sure you can see by the smile on his face he was enjoying the next best thing to a car.
Mason passed away on December 18, 2010 but the Black Beauty gave him many hours of enjoyment touring around town, checking out chicks at the mall and zipping to 7-11 with his buddies. These are all things that able 16 year olds do without thinking and he was able to join in.
I would also share one particular event that made me laugh and cry at the same time. I came downstairs one morning and discovered the main floor of my house covered in leaves, mud and wet clothes. The Black Beauty was parked a little cockeyed in the entry way and there was empty candy wrappers on my living room floor. Having to be a CSI with Mason around is not unusual. When Mason work up I asked what time he went to 7-11. He looked at me like “how did she find out” then explained that he woke up at 2:00 am, had a craving for sugar so ventured out alone in a windstorm to 7-11. By the time he arrived back home it was raining so he had to take off his coat to cover the tiller of the scooter. He was waiting for me to give him grief for that but I calmly asked that he wake me up next time he went out late so that I would know where to go pick him up if the scooter failed. That was the last late foraging trip that he took but at least he had the experience – I have thanked the 7-11 staff for helping him out that night!
Anyway – thanks again for the help over the years and hopefully I can pay back in some way. I have attached my Volunteer application.
Patti Faulconbridge