| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
louie
Senior Member
188 Posts |
 Posted - 08/15/2006 : 2:43:33 PM
|
A heartless blow - Wheelchair heist steals Everett family’s freedom
By Jessica Fargen
Boston Herald Health & Medical Reporter
Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - Updated: 02:48 AM EST
An Everett man with cerebral palsy is begging to the stone-cold thief who stole his electric wheelchair to have a heart and give it back.
The powered chair that Brian Shea, 48, relies on to get around was stolen from behind his condo over the weekend.
“I used that chair for everything. Going on job interviews, taking my son to karate. I go run errands. Now my mobility is really compromised,” Shea said. “I need it.”
The Shea family is asking for the bandits to return the chair, as they can’t afford a new one and can’t fathom life without one.
The theft has stripped the family of their freedom and forced them to cancel a trip to Hyannis to celebrate his wife’s birthday.
Shea can walk only a short distance on crutches and his weak shoulders make it hard to use a manual wheelchair. His 6-year-old son, Zach, is too young to push.
His 41-year-old wife, Randi Shea, who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a 1988 skiing accident, also relies on crutches and has a speech disability. She works full time.
“It destroyed the way we were living,” Randi said yesterday as an energetic Zach ran around their Woodland Street neighborhood.
Shea can’t carry the chair up the stairs or fit it in their apartment, so he stores it by the back door, where there’s no place to lock it up. He left it Saturday night and it was gone Sunday morning. Everett police say there’s no video surveillance and no witnesses have come forward.
Insurance won’t cover a new chair, Shea said, because of a Medicare clause that requires he use it inside his home, which isn’t wheelchair-accessible. Shea bought the chair for $1,000 on craigslist.com, but it’s worth $26,000, he said.
Karen Schneiderman, an outreach worker at the Boston Center for Independent Living who has known Brian Shea for decades, said he relishes his freedom.
“Brian doesn’t rely on people to take care of him and his child,” she said. “They take care of their own lives.”
The Sheas’ neighbors have rallied around them and the building management company also is trying to find Shea a replacement chair.
“What these two do to survive and how they overcome their day-to-day obstacles is incredible,” said neighbor Michelle Bridges, a nursing assistant who gives the Sheas free care when possible. “If I had the money, I would buy him a new chair. I would love to see the joy on his face, given the stress they’ve endured.”
To find out how to help the Sheas, contact Schneiderman at the Boston Center for Independent Living at 617-338-6665. Anyone with information on the crime can call Everett police at 617-394-2356 or 617-387-1212.
jfargen@bostonherald.com
patibility_index,comp_flags
Brian Shea, seen with his wife Randi and son Zach, is begging for the person who stole his wheelchair to bring it back. (Staff photo by Mark Garfinkel)
|
|
|
richie
Senior Member
139 Posts |
Posted - 08/15/2006 : 2:52:00 PM
|
louie,
I read the article in the paper and I am on the look out for the wheel chair I feel so bad for the family. Hopefully, someone will set up a fund to get him a new one, I see him all the time in Square and with his son.. And how sad to have his wife sick also.. Checking Norwood street or Ferry Street for the chair also the meter maids should be on alert since they most walk the city. |
 |
|
|
Lori
Member
96 Posts |
Posted - 08/15/2006 : 2:53:34 PM
|
| I think whoever stole the chair is a ruthless person hopefully our men and woman in blue will find it. Where can I send a donation |
|
|
|
louie
Senior Member
188 Posts |
Posted - 08/16/2006 : 09:25:59 AM
|
| wow it took a state rep. from quincy to replace a motorized wheelchair shame on the city of Everett. I will post the article in today's herald |
|
|
|
louie
Senior Member
188 Posts |
Posted - 08/16/2006 : 09:27:25 AM
|
Pol donates wheelchair after heist: Herald readers help
By Jessica Fargen
Boston Herald Health & Medical Reporter
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Just three days after fiends stole Brian Shea’s power wheelchair, stripping him of his locomotion and his livelihood, big-hearted Herald readers are rolling forward with offers of money, replacement chairs and plans to throw a fund-raiser for the disabled dad.
Wheelchair heist
A heartless blow - Wheelchair heist steals Everett family’s freedom
“It’s wonderful. Everything is good. It’s almost the same make and model,” said Shea, 48, as he tilted back and forth in a $10,000 Storm TDX3 wheelchair, a donation from a South Shore politician who heard about his plight.
Shea, who has cerebral palsy, was overwhelmed with offers after his ordeal was publicized yesterday in a front-page Herald story.
Shea left his 250-pound power wheelchair, as he usually does, behind his Everett condo building Saturday night - unlocked because he has no place to chain it. The next morning it was gone and with it, his independence.
Shea relies on the power chair to take his 6-year-old son, Zach, to karate, go to the grocery store and apply for jobs. The cerebral palsy has rendered his shoulders too weak to wheel his manual chair very far on his own, he said.
His wife, Randi Shea, 41, suffered a traumatic brain injury in 1988 and needs crutches to get around and has difficulty speaking.
“This is amazing,” she said quietly and proudly as Shea tested out the souped-up new chair.
Karen Schneiderman, an outreach worker at the Boston Center for Independent Living who has known Shea for decades, said 75 people called to donate money, wheelchairs and hold fund-raisers.
State Rep. Bruce Ayers (D-Quincy) donated the wheelchair after hearing about Shea’s plight from Kevin Kelliher of Lundgren Management in Chelsea, which manages Shea’s building.
Ayers, who owns Ayers Handicap Conversion Center in Quincy, also runs a medical aid nonprofit called Helping Hand, which had a power chair on hand.
“We are very happy now he can go back to his independent lifestyle,” Ayers said.
|
|
|
|
Paul
Senior Member
158 Posts |
Posted - 08/17/2006 : 6:31:05 PM
|
Louie,it is obvious from your other posts that you have a hard time understanding facts but you have outdone yourself this time.
Why should the city of Everett be ashamed ?
The State Rep. from Quincy who donated the wheelchair is the owner of a Handicap Conversion Center and has ties to Helping Hand a medical non profit that contributed the wheelchair.
Instead of knocking the city,which you always do, why don't you give much deserved credit to the people who got the word out so that a fine man such as Rep. Bruce Ayres was able to arrange this fine donation.
This was a GOOD thing not something to be bashed with your constant political agenda ! |
|
|
|
louie
Senior Member
188 Posts |
Posted - 08/18/2006 : 06:51:03 AM
|
because if you see post some people wanted to help and there was nothing said or the mayor didn't go on the news to help. Who the hell is knocking Everett it's doing a great job by itself. Sure you need to watch fox25 to get the lastest shooting which was right in front of central fire oh wait Paul you live in a glass house and no stones are thrown to you..
So in your eyes Paul it's ok a state rep. helps someone from Everett regardless that he owns a handicapp center... Were are the Alderman and Council men and woman from EVERETT? Answer me that PAUL |
|
|
|
Paul
Senior Member
158 Posts |
Posted - 08/18/2006 : 07:11:26 AM
|
Louie,
It is time to return to the home NOW ! |
|
|
|
EverettsPride
Advanced Member
1140 Posts |
 Posted - 08/18/2006 : 08:09:50 AM
|
Louie when was the shooting in front of Central fire? I did not hear about that one.
Sally |
|
|
|
richie
Senior Member
139 Posts |
Posted - 08/18/2006 : 09:20:59 AM
|
And so why are you picking on Louie Paul? just because he is negative against what is going on in this city I don't think so
why don't you Paul go get all the stickers that don't belong on cars |
|
|
|
Paul
Senior Member
158 Posts |
Posted - 08/18/2006 : 9:30:03 PM
|
Richie,
Have you always had trouble expressing your thoughts ?
I am sure that whatever you meant to post was complimentary ! |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
Who Stole the Chair
