During the pandemic, Seigel-Boettner trained caregivers to become pilots, ensuring residents could still feel the sun on their faces. Some care homes have since incorporated rides into their regular activities. “It changed their relationships,” Seigel-Boettner attests. “Caregivers became companions again and also experienced much more appreciation from the families.” 

CWA has since participated in memorials, weddings and Christmas parades. The trishaws roll wherever community life unfolds.

As Seigel-Boettner navigates a gentle stretch of coastline road and divulges a local’s secret spot for buying the freshest fish, Wright leans forward, her blue eyes bright. A soft wind tugs at her white, chin-length hair under her straw hat. A jogger gives her a thumbs-up; a toddler waves. “I had my birthday picnic on the beach here,” she remembers, pointing to the sand. She is no longer bound to her walker, but flying along the coast, reconnecting with her own narrative. 

Seigel-Boettner pedals steadily, electric-assist humming beneath his seat. He listens as she talks about a childhood holiday in her native Illinois, her children and grandchildren. The city drifts by in slow motion, laughter from a passing cyclist, birdsong, the surf’s distant roar.


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In this unhurried space, conversation flows across decades. The pilot becomes a companion; the rider a storyteller. The trishaw excursion is a chance to be seen again, not as a diagnosis but a person, not a burden but a being alive in the world. For pilots, each ride is a mirror, a reminder of what it means to age, to hope, to connect. For both, it’s a moment when time loosens its grip.

At the end of the ride, Seigel-Boettner helps Wright from her seat. She lingers at the threshold, turning to him. “Thank you,” she says. “That was the best part of my day.” He waves and she waves back before she heads inside.

For Seigel-Boettner, the ride was the best part of his day, too. “I’ve ridden through downtown five million times, but with Elizabeth it was completely new,” he says. “Carpe diem — seize each day like it’s your first.” 

Scrolling photos courtesy of CWA, CWASB, Ole Kassow and Sølund Gefion.