Help Kennedy Regain Her Independence

Help Kennedy Regain Her Independence

My sister Kennedy is one of the sweetest, most caring people you’ll ever meet. She’s spent her life loving others, lifting them up, and never asking for help for herself.

But now, she needs us.

Kennedy has faced health challenges since she was a child, enduring multiple heart and brain surgeries with incredible courage.

Two years ago, she finally achieved a dream she had fought so hard for—moving into her own apartment. But after only six short months of independence, everything changed.

A year and a half ago, Kennedy was diagnosed with intracranial hypertension and began rapidly losing her vision. Medications failed, and she was forced to undergo brain surgery to place a stent to lower the pressure and save her eyesight. Tragically, during that surgery, Kennedy suffered a stroke.

Doctors were extremely concerned afterward because she couldn’t walk. But since they had been operating directly in the brain, they thought perhaps it was a rare reaction to the surgery. That assumption delayed the recognition of her stroke, and it took multiple MRIs and second opinions before the truth was finally confirmed.

Now, at just 28 years old, Kennedy can no longer walk unassisted and has limited use of her left leg and hand. She had to give up her apartment, her job, and her independence. Yet through it all, her spirit, her faith, and her determination remain unshaken.

Kennedy has been referred for an all-terrain power wheelchair that will allow her to move more freely and live with greater independence. But to truly use it, she also needs a handicap-accessible vehicle.

This vehicle must include safety features to accommodate her vision impairments, such as lights that alert her when another car is passing. Kennedy has been medically cleared to safely drive with these adaptive features, which means this vehicle is her pathway back to real independence. And even when she isn’t driving herself, the vehicle is essential to safely transport her wheelchair and restore her mobility.

This is where we need your help. Kennedy cannot work due to her health, and the costs of both the wheelchair deductible and the accessible vehicle are far beyond what she can manage alone.

Our Goal: $40,000

Your generosity will go directly toward giving Kennedy her independence back:

* Power Wheelchair Deductible – Estimated $4,000
Covers the out-of-pocket costs for her all-terrain power chair, which will allow her to move freely indoors and outdoors.

* Handicap-Accessible Vehicle – Estimated $32,000
A safe, reliable vehicle with modifications to transport her wheelchair and adaptive safety features to assist with her vision impairments. Kennedy has been cleared to safely drive with these features.

* Additional Accessibility & Medical Needs – Estimated $4,000
Supports essential accessibility costs such as home modifications, adaptive equipment, and ongoing therapy support.

We set the goal at $40,000 because this would cover a fully equipped vehicle with every adaptive feature Kennedy needs.

That said, we are diligently searching for reliable used options that could also be adapted to meet her needs. Every dollar raised will be used carefully, and any savings from finding a more affordable vehicle will stretch even further toward Kennedy’s care and independence. Please don’t be discouraged by the total goal—every single gift makes a difference.

Kennedy has given so much of herself to others. Now, it’s our turn to come alongside her. By helping her fund this wheelchair and vehicle, you are giving her the chance to regain the independence that was taken from her far too soon.

Every gift—big or small—brings her closer to freedom, dignity, and hope. If you are unable to donate, please share her story so others may help.

Kennedy is a daughter, sister, friend, and woman of God who has endured more than most, but still shines with love and resilience. Let’s give her the tools to live the independent, fulfilling life she longs for and deserves.