Getting Back Their Freedom
Posted by special buzzer on June 17, 2009
When I was going through college, I got a job for the summer selling pride lift chairs. This may seem like an odd job for a young adult to have, but it was actually perfect for me. One of the things that made me an excellent candidate for the job is the many years of experience I had with these chairs. We have had one in our home for as long as I can remember. You see, my father suffered from Friedreich’s Ataxia, a disease that left him crippled in his teens.
When I was a teenager myself, the disease got the best of him, but he had lived a good life and left a great legacy. Not long after he passed away, however, we found out that my sister also had this crippling disease. It was a hard blow on the family, but she was a real trooper and even made jokes about how great it was that we already had the ramps, lifts and the walk-in bath.
Through my three summers of working for the lift company, it was quite rewarding seeing how happy people were to have their lifts installed. I know it gives them a sense of freedom. My sister is now completely confined to a wheelchair, but because of the lifts and because of her attitude, she does not let it slow her down. She can be found on a Friday night with her friends at the movies, visiting me at my apartment or shopping at the mall. Freedom is the one thing that can keep these people going and I was glad to have a small part in that.