A Van for Dan

Story

My friend Dan is in a wheelchair. But it wasn’t always like this.   Dan Grady was an officer in the U.S. Air Force. He ran track and field. He kayaked. He swam. He took his dog, Buck, on hikes through the mountains. Then he experienced a horrific car accident and became paralyzed from the chest down. He will never walk again.   Help me buy Dan a wheelchair-accessible van so that he can become independent again.   We all take our mobility for granted. If your legs are healthy, you hop in your car and go. But when you’re in a wheelchair, simple things like just getting into a vehicle can be impossible. Dan has an old van—which was already old when he got it—and it’s falling apart. The door and wheelchair-lift are broken, so he can’t get into his van by himself even if he wanted to, which means he's dependent upon others, sometimes even strangers, to do simple things like visit family, or go to the doctor, or go to the supermarket to buy food.   Which breaks my heart because I’ve known Dan for over thirty years, and he was never one to sit still. He was on the high-school track team, and when he joined the military, long-distance trail-running became his passion. Every couple of years, he and I would take an epic backpacking trip to the most remote places we could find—and we would hike for days, through forests and mountains. For Dan, there was no greater feeling than a wilderness trail beneath his feet.   Unfortunately, he will never have that feeling again. He understands that. But at least he has Buck, his loyal American Fox Red Labrador Retriever, and in recent years, the two of them would go out nearly every day. He would get into his old piece-of-junk van, drive it using specially installed hand-controls, and go to the local park. Once there, Dan would roll down the paved bike trails with Buck by his side, enjoying the freedom that only nature can provide. It was no Yellowstone, but it was something.   Now, he can’t even do that. He’s stuck at home, and since his dog stays with his sister, he hardly gets to see him. The closest store is three miles away, and there are no continuous sidewalks where he lives. He really needs a new van.   Used wheelchair-accessible vans online in good condition are rare, and when they do become available, they sell almost instantly. New vans are prohibitively expensive. The average price is around $70,000. He doesn’t need the newest or fanciest model, just something that works. A vehicle that is reliable and has air conditioning. God, what he wouldn’t do for air conditioning…   Long term, if all goes well, Dan hopes to help other people in wheelchairs to get around as well. His goal is to start a business where he can transport folks like himself when they need help. If there is one thing he’s come to realize it’s that everyone needs a hand.   Help me to help Dan to help himself (and others), and make this simple, practical dream come true.   Let’s get Dan a Van.