Life can change in an instant. In October 2025, my dad, John DeWitt, suffered a major stroke, making the most basic tasks of daily life a challenge which requires daily assistance. Even something as simple as a shower, or using the bathroom is exhausting in a space that’s not handicap accessible.

If there is one thing that our father instilled in my brothers and I from a very young age, it would be the value and merit of service, giving back, and dedication. If you know John, you know this rings true, as he has spent much of his life doing just that. Through his time at West Point Military Academy, service in the Army, Boy Scouts, school board, music boosters, his church, and working with the Office of Technology with the state of Maine for 28 years, John has spent much of his life showing up for his community without hesitation, and now we are hoping the community can help in return.

The old farmhouse bathroom, currently tucked under the stairs, was clearly designed in an era when accessibility—and headroom—were optional. Today, it simply isn’t safe or usable with a mobility device. (Charming? Yes. Practical? Not even a little.)

Our dad would probably add an eye-rolling dad joke here: “I used to clean the toilets when I was in the Army. They called me the loo-tenant!”

This fundraiser’s focus will help retrofit the first-floor bathroom so our dad can safely continue his recovery at home.

Planned updates include:

Widening the doorway and lowering the threshold (no more sideways shuffle)

Installing a handicap-accessible shower

Adding a chair-height adaptive toilet and vanity

Installing grab bars—because gravity never takes a day off

Thank you for supporting our family, and for helping turn an old farmhouse bathroom into something that will meet the needs of a man who’s always given selflessly to his community.