Parents Of Two MD Disabled Boys Seek Accessible Home Renovation Grant

by Johnny
(Qunicy, FL, USA)

Our Life

I am the father of two young men ages 12 and 17 years old with muscular dystrophy who have never complained.

I have done everything within my power to provide them with the things they need to make their life enjoyable and safe.

I am the Instructor for an employability skill-training program assisting men and women live and self-sufficient life.

I've been married for 8 years and I enjoy spending time with the family.

They were diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at age 8. It was a late onset due to the way the disease is detected.

They are both wheelchair confined, but they attend regular classes and school.

We are not complainers but we have adjusted to the life we live and make the best of it.

We don't have the living space available for them to be more independent and I do a lot of the lifting manually. Our bathrooms are standard size and not accessible for showering.

Financial hardships vary in nature. We don't have the extra cash to make the modifications to our home and we are barely meeting our budget some months.

My wife and I work fulltime and both of us have had a change in salary. I am an active member of my church and community.

SSDI was eliminated due to the salary amount of household, which in reality is far from what we bring home and the cost that we incur with my children.

Shriners Hospital of Tampa has been our only source help.

What we are looking for is the additional room to house both of my boys with a walk-in shower and space to move around from their bed in their power wheelchairs.