Help Angel Regain Mobility and Joy

Hello everyone, my name is Rachel Aguirre and I am doing this GoFundMe for my nephew and family. My nephew Angel is, like the name, an angel sent to our lives. He is my sister Noelia's son. He has autism and developmental delays, and while he is 21 he has the mind of a 13 year old.

Last summer he suffered an accident in which he tripped and hurt his back and subsequently lost all mobility in his legs. He is now wheelchair bound, and it has been really hard for the whole family, but specifically for Angel who can no longer leave the house or have any kind of independence.

Noelia and her family want to purchase a van that can transport Angel and his wheelchair comfortably. This van would be an immense help for taking him to doctor's appointments and therapies, and for all around quality of life so he can leave the house from time to time.

The family are on a very limited income with Noelia unable to work outside the home as she is the main caregiver for both Angel and her elderly parents. They have applied for and received limited assistance from the government, but it is unreliable. For instance they were afforded a small grant to do repairs to the house to retrofit their bathroom and Angel's room, but they still had to pay out of pocket for a large chunk of the work. And although they were promised in home nursing care and physical therapy the caregivers do not always show up and there is high turnover.

They have been looking at purchasing a used van, but reliable vehicles that serve this purpose start at around $20,000 and taking out a loan to cover the full cost is not feasible. They are looking for any help possible to start saving money towards the purchase, even $20 makes a huge difference for them. If you are in the Portland metro area Noelia is offering catering services in exchange for larger donations. She is a talented chef and can prepare and serve tamales, sopes, tacos, huraraches - any of your favorite Mexican dishes.

Thank you so much for your support, it means the world to us and our family and most of all to Angel who deserves to live a full life.