Help Paul Get a Van & Gain His Independence Back!

Hi! I'm Jennifer, Paul's sister. Paul aka "Paulie" is an amazing man with a huge heart who is always willing to help others in any capacity, often putting everyone else before himself. Paul’s story is unique. In 1988, when Paul was 18, he decided to follow his dream of living in Colorado. While relocating from Texas to Colorado to start his new adventure, he fell asleep while driving and was involved in a single-vehicle tragic accident that left him a quadriplegic.

He could have taken the easy way out, lived with family members, and accepted government assistance, but that mentality isn’t in Paul’s nature. He has a tenacious spirit, and since the accident, he has tackled his injuries and disability head-on and has lived and worked independently without receiving government income assistance.

Last summer, Paul was involved in an unfortunate accident, and his wheelchair-accessible van was totaled. While the insurance has provided some funds to cover the replacement cost of the van itself, the accessible components; the wheelchair lift, steering wheel hand controls, and control mechanisms, were not covered by insurance. Unfortunately, due to Medicaid income restrictions, he is capped at how much income he can receive and does not have sufficient disposable income to save to allow him to replace the accessible features for a new van.

As you can imagine, his current situation can be very isolating, and he has lost his independence. Having his own transportation is so important and it’s about more than just getting from point A to point B. It means that he has the freedom to run to the grocery store, spend more time with family and friends and walk his dog in a safe area away from traffic. It means doing for himself instead of relying on others.

Paul works for the Colorado Springs Independent Center, where he is instrumental in helping others in the community with disabilities find and secure resources needed to be independent, thriving individuals. Unfortunately, despite the connections he uses to help others, he is not able to rely on the same resources. Even without a vehicle, Paul still thrives at work and is independent. But it is difficult and requires careful coordination with shared public transportation. To make his daily pickup, his day begins at 3:30AM and is an arduous process. But again, he does it willingly and with a positive spirit. Nothing can stop him from meeting his commitments!

Paul puts his heart and soul into his family and his work and always puts the needs of others ahead of himself. Now, as a thank you, and a show of appreciation for all he does, we want to help him raise funds toward purchasing a used van. Due to his health needs, the modifications required for a wheelchair-accessible van can be quite costly. We set a financial goal that, if met, should cover the gap between the funds available from insurance and the purchase of a used wheelchair-accessible van.

Would you kindly consider contributing to this worthy cause? Any donation, no matter how small, would be deeply appreciated. If so, please donate whatever you see fit through the GoFundMe site. If you are unable to donate, would you kindly consider sharing this link with others?

Many thanks and Blessings!

Video of Paul and explination of his old van and what the new van would require.