Help Marv purchase handicap accessible van

Marvin Lee Bleeker is a husband, dad, and grandfather. In 1994, at age 40 he began to experience balance issues but managed to work full time, keep a meticulous yard, and enjoy his shop. In 2006, at age 52, Marvin was diagnosed with Heredity Spastic Paraplegia (HSP). His doctor at the Mayo Clinic insisted that he could no longer work with power tools at Larson Manufacturing in Brookings, SD, and began the process for Marvin to receive disability benefits. Gradually, his mobility depended on a walker and then a scooter.

The last couple of years have brought increasing paralysis to Marv’s legs and feet. On August 30, 2021, Marv fell in the garage at home and had partial hip replacement surgery. A motorized wheelchair became a necessity. Then, on October 25, 2021, as Marvin was transferring from his recliner to the wheelchair, he fell again and rebroke his hip. Another surgery resulted, and in-patient on-going therapy to strengthen his upper body continues.

Meanwhile, Marv’s new wheelchair is too heavy for the lift on their current van. A new van with a stronger lift is priced at $60,000! It is the goal of this GoFundMe campaign to raise that $60,000!