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Accessible Home & Healing for Lariq

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Lariq Byrd is a 16 year old from Philadelphia who loves sports, poetry, engineering, and reading. He cares deeply about his family and friends and loves making them laugh.

On December 26th, 2015, Lariq's life changed drastically. He was standing on his friend's porch in West Philadelphia when someone opened fire on the house next door. He was shot by two bullets, one in the neck and one in the leg. The bullet that grazed his neck and went through his shoulder hit several nerves that have left him without feeling in most of his body.

After initial trauma care and a series of emergency procedures as Presbetyrian and CHOP hospitals, Lariq spent months at Magee Rehabilitation. This past summer, Lariq was able to return home. He has the same indominable, witty and loving spirit as always. He intends to continue learning, excel academically, pursue his talents despite physical restrictions, and grow in new ways through the extreme difficulty of his situation. 

There will be continued challenges that will carry a significant financial burden for Lariq and his family. Lariq's injury is a C2/C3 spinal cord injury, meaning he is dependent for all care. He requires an around the clock medical assistant, and should have a completely handicap accessible home with a wheelchair lift so that he is able to use his power wheelchair to come in and out of his home. The ramp currently installed is not sufficient for his needs or the long term sustainability. It is too steep for one person to push or pull him up, requiring at minimum two people to get him in and out safely.

Unfortunately due to a loophole in PA medicare law, Lariq is not eligible to get an ADA compliant wheelchair lift installed on his home. This means that he is unable to use his power wheelchair to leave his home.

We are raising this money to assist with mounting costs associated with Lariq's condition and to help make the Byrd's family Frankford home an accessible living space for Lariq. He currently uses what was once the indoor porch as his bedroom, which provides space for his bed and enough room for someone to stand or sit beside it.
Installing the wheelchair lift and transforming the basement into an accessible space where he can move his chair around freely are top priorities. 

Please consider contributing and supporting Lariq. If you are able to spread the word and pass this on to anyone you think may or can help, please do. Lariq deserves every ounce of support we can give and more.
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Donations 

  • Mary Koski
    • $25 
    • 7 yrs
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Organizer

Sarah Robbins
Organizer
Philadelphia, PA

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