Help My Dad Drive
Donation protected
Hi everybody!
My dad, Tom DiMartino, was diagnosed with a form of muscular dystrophy about 25 years ago. His form of muscular dystrophy, known as inclusion body myositis, is a progressive muscle disorder characterized by muscle inflammation, weakness, and atrophy. Over the past 25 years, my dad's condition has continued to worsen. He currently lives his life in a motorized wheelchair and is unable to do many day-to-day tasks that we all take for granted.
Despite the hurdles my dad has had to overcome due to his disease, he has continued to lead a life filled with friends, family, work, and many hobbies. Being a previous middle-school teacher, he continues his passion for working with students by substitute teaching when he is able to. He travels to work in his modified van, where he drives right from his wheelchair and uses controls to steer and use the gas and breaks.
Over the past year, my dad's car has given him many troubles. The computer system in his car is very complicated and takes a lot of time and money to fix. This past February, he wasn't able to leave the house for over a month because his car was being repaired. This repair alone cost my family thousands of dollars.
Unfortunately, my dad's car has been acting up again recently. We spent several hundreds of dollars to fix it last week, only for it to break again. We are hoping to get a new van that will not give him these problems.
Without a car, my dad cannot work, run errands, or go to his favorite places. He will not be able to visit our family up in CT for Thanksgiving, or attend my college graduation next May. Please donate to our cause if you are able to in any way, and if you can't, please share this fundraiser with friends and family.
Thank you so much, and we greatly appreciate your help.
My dad, Tom DiMartino, was diagnosed with a form of muscular dystrophy about 25 years ago. His form of muscular dystrophy, known as inclusion body myositis, is a progressive muscle disorder characterized by muscle inflammation, weakness, and atrophy. Over the past 25 years, my dad's condition has continued to worsen. He currently lives his life in a motorized wheelchair and is unable to do many day-to-day tasks that we all take for granted.
Despite the hurdles my dad has had to overcome due to his disease, he has continued to lead a life filled with friends, family, work, and many hobbies. Being a previous middle-school teacher, he continues his passion for working with students by substitute teaching when he is able to. He travels to work in his modified van, where he drives right from his wheelchair and uses controls to steer and use the gas and breaks.
Over the past year, my dad's car has given him many troubles. The computer system in his car is very complicated and takes a lot of time and money to fix. This past February, he wasn't able to leave the house for over a month because his car was being repaired. This repair alone cost my family thousands of dollars.
Unfortunately, my dad's car has been acting up again recently. We spent several hundreds of dollars to fix it last week, only for it to break again. We are hoping to get a new van that will not give him these problems.
Without a car, my dad cannot work, run errands, or go to his favorite places. He will not be able to visit our family up in CT for Thanksgiving, or attend my college graduation next May. Please donate to our cause if you are able to in any way, and if you can't, please share this fundraiser with friends and family.
Thank you so much, and we greatly appreciate your help.
Organizer
Mary DiMartino
Organizer
Piedmont, SC