Help Renette Reclaim Her Independence

"There are still things that you can do. It's all about attitude."

Meet Renette - a woman of remarkable strength, faith, and determination. As a double above-the-knee amputee, Renette faces challenges most of us will never know. But here's what you need to know about her: she goes to work Tuesday through Friday. She serves faithfully at her church. She is working toward becoming a Certified Peer Visitor through the Amputee Coalition of America, so she can formally walk alongside others who are just beginning the journey she knows so well. And she does all of this while navigating a world that wasn't built for a wheelchair.

Renette has not been inside a grocery store in years. She hasn't been able to attend evening Bible study, choir rehearsal, or her church's women's events - because public transportation (DART) stops running at 8 PM. Every single doctor's appointment means waiting 90 minutes for a ride back. A 10-minute visit becomes a three-hour ordeal. When she rides home in the evening, she's often re-routed to drop off other passengers, arriving home two hours later than she should.

But Renette refused to accept that this was the end of her story.

She enrolled in adaptive driving classes. She studied. She practiced. And just recently, Renette earned her driver's license — with hand controls. She is ready to drive again. She just needs a vehicle that can carry her.

Here's What We're Raising Money For

Renette needs a wheelchair-accessible van - specifically a Toyota Sienna, the same vehicle she trained in and the one she trusts. Vocational Rehabilitation will cover the hand controls and the vehicle conversion. But Renette still needs help purchasing the van itself. A reliable, accessible van means Renette can:

✦ Get herself to work - on time, every time

✦ Attend evening church events, Bible study, and choir rehearsal

✦ Visit the grocery store independently

✦ Keep her own medical appointments without hours of waiting

✦ Pursue her Certified Peer Visitor certification through the Amputee Coalition of America - visiting new amputees at the hospital and at Palmetto Biotech Prosthetics to offer hope and lived experience

That last point matters deeply to Renette. She is actively working toward becoming a Certified Peer Visitor through the Amputee Coalition of America - a program that trains amputees to provide emotional support and guidance to others facing limb loss. With her own transportation, she'll be able to visit newly amputated patients both at the hospital and at Palmetto Biotech Prosthetics: a living reminder that a full, meaningful life is still ahead of them.

Renette doesn't ask for much. She works hard, serves her community, and keeps her head up through circumstances that would break most people. She simply wants to do things on her own, without depending on others for every errand, every appointment, every moment of normal life.

Please consider giving - any amount helps. Share this page. Tell someone about Renette. Help give this incredible woman the one thing she's worked so hard to earn back: her independence.

"I am ready and able to help others, I just need your help to get there."

- Renette