Woman With Spinal Injury Seeks Funding For Car
Donation protected
On June 4, 2011, life, as Katie knew it, completely
changed. While on her way to Guatemala with her high
school class to spend a week working with children in
an orphanage, Katie suffered a spinal stroke at the age
of 17. In three hours she became a quadriplegic,
paralyzed from the shoulders down. Hovering between
life and death for nearly a month, Katie eventually
moved from ICU to a rehabilitation hospital where she
began the slow and unrelenting work of physical
therapy.
The challenges were numerous, the setbacks, at times,
seemed defeating but Katie’s fierce determination kept
her in a fighting spirit. With the ceaseless prayers and
encouragement of family, friends and countless others
that rallied around her, Katie persevered. She’s alwaysbeen a hard worker but
she was going to have to work the hardest she’d ever
had with no guarantee of what all that work would
produce. She began to set goals.
Two years after her stroke and having missed a full year
of school, Katie was able to graduate high school with
her class. In the fall of 2013 she began her studies at
Trinity Christian College entering her first year on a
part time basis. The following fall, she announced that
not only was she going to attend full time, she wanted to
live on campus. We didn’t know how that was going to
work with all the care and special requirements. Not
only did it work, she graduated in December of 2017
with a degree in Health Care Communications. She
currently works at a prominent hospital in downtown
Chicago.
Her goal setting continues. The next big goal is to own
and drive her own adaptive vehicle. Katie worked for
over two years to complete all the required steps in
order to make this goal a reality. The adaptive
equipment will be covered by a grant from the state, but
the cost of the vehicle is her responsibility. She needs
$50,000 for the car, but will need more to cover the
expensive insurance as well as a roadside assistance
package that specializes in adaptive vehicles.
Money that exceeds the goal of $50,000 will be used to
cover future medical and personal care expenses.
Her next goal? Finding a home or apartment where she
can live as independently as possible!
“For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your
right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”
Isaiah 41:13
changed. While on her way to Guatemala with her high
school class to spend a week working with children in
an orphanage, Katie suffered a spinal stroke at the age
of 17. In three hours she became a quadriplegic,
paralyzed from the shoulders down. Hovering between
life and death for nearly a month, Katie eventually
moved from ICU to a rehabilitation hospital where she
began the slow and unrelenting work of physical
therapy.
The challenges were numerous, the setbacks, at times,
seemed defeating but Katie’s fierce determination kept
her in a fighting spirit. With the ceaseless prayers and
encouragement of family, friends and countless others
that rallied around her, Katie persevered. She’s alwaysbeen a hard worker but
she was going to have to work the hardest she’d ever
had with no guarantee of what all that work would
produce. She began to set goals.
Two years after her stroke and having missed a full year
of school, Katie was able to graduate high school with
her class. In the fall of 2013 she began her studies at
Trinity Christian College entering her first year on a
part time basis. The following fall, she announced that
not only was she going to attend full time, she wanted to
live on campus. We didn’t know how that was going to
work with all the care and special requirements. Not
only did it work, she graduated in December of 2017
with a degree in Health Care Communications. She
currently works at a prominent hospital in downtown
Chicago.
Her goal setting continues. The next big goal is to own
and drive her own adaptive vehicle. Katie worked for
over two years to complete all the required steps in
order to make this goal a reality. The adaptive
equipment will be covered by a grant from the state, but
the cost of the vehicle is her responsibility. She needs
$50,000 for the car, but will need more to cover the
expensive insurance as well as a roadside assistance
package that specializes in adaptive vehicles.
Money that exceeds the goal of $50,000 will be used to
cover future medical and personal care expenses.
Her next goal? Finding a home or apartment where she
can live as independently as possible!
“For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your
right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”
Isaiah 41:13
Organizer and beneficiary
Dan Vree
Organizer
Orland Park, IL
Katherine Vree
Beneficiary