TEAGUE, Texas (KWTX) – A Central Texas family is raising money to purchase a wheelchair accessible van for two siblings born with cerebral palsy.
Jerry Smith, 19, and Nyla Smith, 18, are 11 months apart and have both used wheelchairs their entire lives.
Their mother, Johnna Amos, says she experienced a placental abruption during her pregnancies, which caused a lack of oxygen in the womb.
This led to both Nyla and Jerry developing moderate to severe cerebral palsy. “Both of them are affected in all limbs,” Amos explained.
Getting around without an accessible van
Without a wheelchair accessible van, Amos or her husband must lift Jerry and Nyla out of their wheelchairs and into the car. Amos said the process has become increasingly difficult over time.
“It’s getting very difficult because they’re growing and I’m getting older,” she shared.
And because their car can’t accommodate the wheelchairs the siblings are forced to use strollers when they are out, which aren’t as mobile and can be uncomfortable.
“Sometimes I feel bad… I feel sorry for myself because I would like to go a lot of places and go somewhere that I want and that I like,” Nyla said.
What a van would mean for the family
Amos says a wheelchair accessible van would allow their family to travel more freely and comfortably.
“It gives them the freedom to just say ‘I want to go to the mall today,’ so we just load up and we go to the mall and we get there without having to stop and readjust, without pain,” she shared.
However, according to Amos, a brand new wheelchair accessible van can cost up to $95,000, now asking their community for help.
Fundraiser details
This Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. they will be hosting a fundraiser at the Teague Farmer’s Market. Items for sale will include baked goods, three kinds of lemonade, shirts, and raffle tickets for a Japanese head spa treatment.
Amos says everyone is welcome, sharing how grateful they are for all the support. “This town… I’m forever in debt to it,” Jerry added.
Those unable to attend can donate through the family’s GoFundMe page.
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