EzLite Cruiser wheelchair for Ray

Hello all! As some of you may or may not know, I have an amazing man in my life, Ray. He is one of the sweetest and most supportive people I know. My kids and I adore him. I’m pretty sure those who have met him can vouch for this.

I’m here today asking for your help to achieve two interrelated goals. The first is assistance in acquiring and EzLite Cruiser for Ray; a foldable electric wheelchair that he can use for traveling. The second is to help us get Ray to his brother's wedding in February.

Ray uses a power wheelchair to do most things, and he does them quite well on his own. His current standard power chair is incredible and allows him to do any life activity set before him (albeit differently than you or I), but it comes with many constraints due to its hefty weight and size (we’re talking 300lbs).

Ray relies mostly on the Montreal paratransit system which requires booking trips at least a day ahead and rides are often late and travel times can be long. This system is also limited to the Montreal metro area, making travel outside of Montreal difficult. When Ray travels by air, he has to trade his power chair for a manual chair, relying on family and friends to push him around. Ray cannot take his power chair on the plane, because of its size and weight. In past attempts, the airline broke his wheelchair when they tryied to contort it to fit on the plane. As you can imagine, this is awful for Ray, since he relies on it for nearly everything and also greatly values his independence. As Ray puts it, "I sometimes like the opportunity to raise a little hell on my own." I think he fancies himself as a bit of a rock star.

With the EzLite Cruiser the possibilities to travel and get around town easily and conveniently are enriched! We can simply fold it up, toss it in the trunk of my car and off we go! When traveling by plane, Ray can fold it and fit it comfortably with his other luggage, reducing the risk of his wheelchair being broken. We'd finally get to travel outside of Montreal with ease! If you have some time to read the user reviews via the link below you’ll see just how life-changing this chair can be. Accessibility is a significant challenge, but we’re hoping this chair can make things a bit easier, so Ray can share in the freedoms you and I take for granted.

Unfortunately, a foldable power chair is considered a bit of a luxury and is not covered by Canadian healthcare, so we are hoping to raise the $3,000 CAD the standard model costs. My reason for reaching out to you all to help us reach this goal is that Ray is currently in the process of completing his PhD in philosophy, on the subject of romantic love. This is a major life goal for Ray that he has put many years of hard work into and that only allows him to take on part-time employment at McGill to cover his living expenses and tuition. Additionally, I feel that he deserves this opportunity for simply being the amazing individual he is!

Our first adventure with the EzLite will be a camping trip with my boys this summer that we are all looking forward to immensely. Ray also has the goal of going to his younger brother's wedding in February. Ray's younger brother, Rueben, and Ray have a very intimate bond. When Ray walked, Ray and he would go on small adventures together as kids. As Ray's condition progressed, Rueben started to become more of a caregiver for Ray, helping Ray whenever he needed it. Sometimes this involved carrying Ray up huge flights of stairs, pushing him around in the wheelchair, and many other life-tasks. Rueben has always been a rock for Ray to lean on, and I think it is vital for him to see his little brother get married in February. Any extra funds we raise after the wheelchair, will go towards getting Ray to that wedding.

No contribution is too small or too large. I firmly believe that when a village unites, anything is possible!

Ray and I greatly appreciate and thank you for your support.

https://www.ezlitecruiser.com