Please help me get back behind the wheel!

Hello, my name is Susan Kaufhold, I live in Dania Beach, Florida and am 75 years of age. I am a disabled retiree with a very limited income.

I lost my left leg above the knee in 2010 due to an infection and have been wheelchair-bound since that time. I have been able to earn occasional small incomes because I owned a “handicapped” van and could work part-time at odd jobs.

A month ago, while driving my handicapped van, I was caught in a suddenly flooded area near my home and had to be rescued by the fire rescue department. It was a frightening experience with the water level coming up so quickly and, since I was trapped in the van in my battery-powered wheelchair, there was no way out.

After that horrifying experience, the water-damaged, totally destroyed van was towed to the insurance company where the adjustor determined, that even though the van was invaluable to me and met my needs as a handicapped individual (hand controls, ramp, etc.), I was only given $3,000.00 for it due to its age. Even though it was an older van, everything on it worked and it provided me with the mobility to live my life.

A modern new handicapped van sells for around $60,000 which is way beyond what most handicapped folks with disabilities like mine would ever be able to afford. I am asking for your help to raise the funds needed to purchase a new handicapped van and regain my independence. If I fall short of my fundraising goal, I will use the donated funds to purchase a used handicapped van or utilize ride-sharing services.

In addition to the flooding catastrophe, I recently lost my long-time significant other due to a sudden heart attack, my daughter in law (52 years of age) to brain cancer and my son’s employer went bankrupt…all within the past 6 months.

I had received some financial support from them prior to their deaths and job loss. This loss of financial support, not to mention the emotional losses, has now placed me in a financial position of being self-supporting with only Social Security benefits and food stamps. I have no other means of support, i.e. retirement, relatives, etc.

I am in a desperate situation where I need a handicap van so I can be independent once again and work part-time, go to the grocery store, doctor appointments, etc.

Therefore, while I do not wish to put my burden on someone else, finding myself in this precarious situation and beginning to feel more and more helpless, I have decided to reach out to you via the GoFundMe community to help me regain my mobility and my life.

I greatly appreciate your time in reading and sharing my story and helping me regain my independence.

With a grateful heart and many thanks,

Susan Kaufhold