Brittany's Adaptive Needs
Donation protected
On 20 May 2012, while living in Stuttgart, Germany where her husband was stationed in the Army, Brittany was involved in a catastrophic accident.
The accident, was a horrific calamity that ultimately left her paralyzed from the waist down, and placed her in a wheelchair possibly indefinitely. Naturally, Brittany's accident became a turning point in the lives of the entire Maxwell family.
Today the Maxwell family has grown, and with 2 beautiful little girls, at ages 1 and 5, they are Brittany and Paul's entire world. In 2012 however, Avery (age 5) was only 6 months old when Britt's accident occurred. Thus, the Maxwell’s were fragmented across two continents. Avery, then just a baby, was whisked away stateside to her grandparents'. Brittany then spent a year of intensive rehabilitative physical therapy in Detroit, while Paul remained in Germany, 4,500 miles away from his wife and daughter, remaining on active duty. Paul has since separated with an honarable discharge, and received an 80% disability rating from the VA. He currently attends the University of Tennessee full time toward a degree in Criminology.
Britt, has since become an amazing inspiration to more people than one can ever remember meeting. She has bounced back with a full force that doesn't allow her physical "disabilities" to disable her. She has since graduated (magna cum laude) from Northwood University, a private business university, with a Bachelor's degree in Marketing, and continues to impress her grad school professors with a 4.0 gpa as she pursues her Master's degree. All while being a full-time mother, and the director of marketing & sales for a startup Medical Supply company, Brittany radiates positivity in her actions alone. She truly is an inspiration, not only to others, but most of all to her family. She has been a beacon for others, showing through her actions that living with a limitation doesn't have to limit one's entire life.
As the Maxwell family has grown, so have the medical and education bills, unfortunately. Currently, between medical and school bills, tens of thousands of dollars in debt has accrued. $9,000 of this debt alone was incurred through the VA (due to unforseen circumstances), who recently withheld Paul's entire disability benefit and will continue to do so until the debt is resolved. Obviously, this proposes a conundrum for the Maxwell family, as this income is used for family living expenses.
Amongst the piling bills, the Maxwells have also been fervently searching for accessible accomodations for Brittany. The search has been an exhaustive effort, as very few accessible homes are reasonably priced. While they remain resilient, the search has become nearly impossible amidst the amassed debt. Purchasing a house within their price range will require major renovations to make the accommodations accessible. These renovations can add up quickly, often totaling near 6 figures.
In addition to the catch 22 of accesible house-hunting, at the end of this month, Brittany will be undergoing intensive restorative therapy in Florida at a reputable place with proven curative results. Her wish and prayer, (aside from the ability to walk again of course) is simply to regain atleast some active function in her legs. The cost is roughly $5,000 including travel and lodging, which naturally poses even further strain on an already stretched family.
Brittany's parents have also continued to be a tremendous pillar of support through all of Brittany's rehabilitation, as well as Paul's re-integration to civilian life. They have remained a source of guidance and wisdom in an otherwise extremely timultuous time. Through their help, the Maxwell family has certainly been blessed, but ultimately wish not to pose a burden on extended family.
The Maxwell's commitment to helping others' has also been paramount in their family dynamic. From volunteering to renovate rooms at homeless shelters for Veterans, to the peer mentoring of other victims of spinal cord injury through the Christopher and Dana Reeve foundation, the Maxwell's consistently are giving back to the community.
Unfortunately, simply volunteering to help those in similar circumstances doesn't alleviate financial burden. The Maxwell family would greatly appreciate any assistance provided. If anything it is their hope that their story might illicit a prayer or at the very least, well wishes. Thank you all in advance for your consideration, loyalty, and friendship.
The accident, was a horrific calamity that ultimately left her paralyzed from the waist down, and placed her in a wheelchair possibly indefinitely. Naturally, Brittany's accident became a turning point in the lives of the entire Maxwell family.
Today the Maxwell family has grown, and with 2 beautiful little girls, at ages 1 and 5, they are Brittany and Paul's entire world. In 2012 however, Avery (age 5) was only 6 months old when Britt's accident occurred. Thus, the Maxwell’s were fragmented across two continents. Avery, then just a baby, was whisked away stateside to her grandparents'. Brittany then spent a year of intensive rehabilitative physical therapy in Detroit, while Paul remained in Germany, 4,500 miles away from his wife and daughter, remaining on active duty. Paul has since separated with an honarable discharge, and received an 80% disability rating from the VA. He currently attends the University of Tennessee full time toward a degree in Criminology.
Britt, has since become an amazing inspiration to more people than one can ever remember meeting. She has bounced back with a full force that doesn't allow her physical "disabilities" to disable her. She has since graduated (magna cum laude) from Northwood University, a private business university, with a Bachelor's degree in Marketing, and continues to impress her grad school professors with a 4.0 gpa as she pursues her Master's degree. All while being a full-time mother, and the director of marketing & sales for a startup Medical Supply company, Brittany radiates positivity in her actions alone. She truly is an inspiration, not only to others, but most of all to her family. She has been a beacon for others, showing through her actions that living with a limitation doesn't have to limit one's entire life.
As the Maxwell family has grown, so have the medical and education bills, unfortunately. Currently, between medical and school bills, tens of thousands of dollars in debt has accrued. $9,000 of this debt alone was incurred through the VA (due to unforseen circumstances), who recently withheld Paul's entire disability benefit and will continue to do so until the debt is resolved. Obviously, this proposes a conundrum for the Maxwell family, as this income is used for family living expenses.
Amongst the piling bills, the Maxwells have also been fervently searching for accessible accomodations for Brittany. The search has been an exhaustive effort, as very few accessible homes are reasonably priced. While they remain resilient, the search has become nearly impossible amidst the amassed debt. Purchasing a house within their price range will require major renovations to make the accommodations accessible. These renovations can add up quickly, often totaling near 6 figures.
In addition to the catch 22 of accesible house-hunting, at the end of this month, Brittany will be undergoing intensive restorative therapy in Florida at a reputable place with proven curative results. Her wish and prayer, (aside from the ability to walk again of course) is simply to regain atleast some active function in her legs. The cost is roughly $5,000 including travel and lodging, which naturally poses even further strain on an already stretched family.
Brittany's parents have also continued to be a tremendous pillar of support through all of Brittany's rehabilitation, as well as Paul's re-integration to civilian life. They have remained a source of guidance and wisdom in an otherwise extremely timultuous time. Through their help, the Maxwell family has certainly been blessed, but ultimately wish not to pose a burden on extended family.
The Maxwell's commitment to helping others' has also been paramount in their family dynamic. From volunteering to renovate rooms at homeless shelters for Veterans, to the peer mentoring of other victims of spinal cord injury through the Christopher and Dana Reeve foundation, the Maxwell's consistently are giving back to the community.
Unfortunately, simply volunteering to help those in similar circumstances doesn't alleviate financial burden. The Maxwell family would greatly appreciate any assistance provided. If anything it is their hope that their story might illicit a prayer or at the very least, well wishes. Thank you all in advance for your consideration, loyalty, and friendship.
Organizer
Paul Maxwell
Organizer
Knoxville, TN
